A faction of the Alabama Democratic Party voted to remove Nancy Worley as party chair and picked state Rep. Chris England of Tuscaloosa to replace her at a meeting today in Montgomery.

If today’s actions hold, England will be the first black chair in the state Democratic Party’s history.

In a statement this afternoon, Worley, who did not attend the meeting, said she did not consider today’s actions valid.

“Randy (Kelley) and I look forward to continuing our leadership roles in the Party,” she said, referring to Randy Kelley, who was replaced as first vice chair today.

The change in leadership came at a meeting that Worley and her backers tried to block with a lawsuit. It marks a key turn in a fight over state party leadership that has gone on more than a year.

England was elected over two other nominees, Will Boyd, Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor last year, and Tabitha Isner, the nominee for Congress in the 2nd District last year. England received 104 votes. Isner received 63 votes and Boyd received 4.

England, an attorney for the city of Tuscaloosa who has been in the Legislature since 2006, has been one of the leading voices calling for changes at the state party, which has fared poorly in statewide elections, holds barely one-fourth of the 140 seats in the Legislature, and is not active on social media.

England said today’s election and the addition of about 70 new members to the State Democratic Executive Committee on new minority caucuses, including 48 on a new youth caucus, signals a new day for the struggling party.

“What it means is that there will be a competitive Democratic party,” England said. "Today you saw diversity. You saw inclusiveness. What you’re going to see in the future is a party that fund-raises. A party that messages. A party that recruits candidates. And a party that can tweet, and Facebook, and update a website.

“So, we are going to be competitive. We are going to enter ourselves into the public debate. And we’re going to make sure that people recognize that there are two sides and there are two parties in the state.”

Here’s what it looks like as Alabama Democrats elect new chair to replace Nancy Worley. Chris England leading south far, Tabitha Isner is second. #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/KRsSpkxWJd — Mike Cason (@MikeCasonAL) November 2, 2019

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, the only Democrat to hold statewide office, helped organize the meeting and said the leadership change and new caucuses would energize the party.

“I think it’s a huge step for the state,” Jones said. "Everybody thinks it’s just about the Democratic Party. But unless we have a competitive two-party system, this state is not going to move forward. We have seen how we just stagnated under one-party rule, no matter which party you want to talk about.

“We need a competitive two-party system to make sure that ideas are out there, that we compete for votes with ideas and things on a local level. That’s what this means today.”

Former state Rep. Patricia Todd of Birmingham was elected first vice chair today to replace Kelley.

England was asked about the significance of being the first African American to chair the Alabama Democratic Party.

“I think it’s extremely significant in the sense that if you see over the last couple of election cycles African American turnout and participation has carried the Democratic Party,” England said. “And I hope that I’m just evidence of that work and that we recognize it and we build on it.”

Besides the elections for chair and first vice chair, the main purpose for today’s meeting was to elect members to new minority caucuses that will join the SDEC. The caucuses are for youth (35 and under), as well as people who are Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, native American, LGBTQ, and people with disabilities.

The caucus members were added before the elections. Forty-eight members were chosen for the youth caucus. Eight members were picked for the LGBTQ caucus, including five African Americans. Seven members were picked for the Hispanic caucus, three for the Asian/Pacific Islander caucus and two for the Native American caucus. The caucus for people with disabilities was not elected today.

The new minority caucus members took their seats with the members of SDEC in attendance, swelling their ranks considerably.

The group then moved to remove Worley as party chair and Kelley as first vice chair. They initially did that by taking standing votes, which most of the group supported and followed up with cheers.

After that, the group decided to take a roll call vote on the removal of Worley. It passed by a vote of 172-0.

Then it moved to the nominations for party chair. The three nominees -- Boyd, England, and Isner, spoke briefly followed by remarks from committee members supporting them.

Worley has intended to run for party chair again but has not recognized today’s meeting as valid, saying the official meeting for the party elections is Nov. 16.

After today’s vote to remove and replace her, Worley issued a statement:

“In August of 2018, I was re-elected to a four-year term as Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party. The true SDEC members did not remove Randy and me today; however, the DNC and Doug arranged this coup. Randy and I look forward to continuing our leadership roles in the Party.”

That August 2018 election, when Worley defeated a candidate nominated by Jones, helped trigger the clash over party control that continues to unfold. Nine people filed complaints to the Democratic National Committee about how that election was conducted. The DNC determined there were irregularities and in February told the state party to adopt new bylaws followed by new elections for chair and first vice chair.

Deadlines for the new elections and bylaws passed. The DNC revoked national party credentials for Worley and Kelley and has withheld $10,000 a month from the state party for a year.

State Democrats pushing for new bylaws and leadership met on Oct. 5 and adopted new bylaws that the DNC approved that add the new minority caucuses. They also scheduled today’s election at that Oct. 5 meeting.

On Oct. 12, Worley presided over a meeting where another set of bylaws were adopted and a Nov. 16 date was set for party elections.

DNC Chair Tom Perez told Worley that the Oct. 5 bylaws governed the party and today’s meeting was the official election.

“The DNC has made it very clear that what we did on the 5th was necessary and proper and authorized us to continue meeting today and we did," England said. “And we’ve elected a new vice chair and chair.”

Asked if he would immediately move to take over daily operations of the party, England said he and Todd would do what was necessary. Asked what he would say to Worley, he said, "Thank you for your service."

Before adjourning today, the group adopted on voice votes motions to say Worley could not spend or encumber party funds and to conduct a forensic audit within 90 days.

“We’re going to be taking steps to make sure that this meeting today gets ratified and that this guy (England) remains as party chair,” Jones said.

Before the new minority caucuses were added today there were about 250 members on the State Democratic Executive Committee.

Worley’s supporters have maintained they still have the support of the majority of those.

Forty percent attendance was required to establish a quorum at today’s meeting. Organizers said 107 SDEC members signed in.

Seventy-eight SDEC members attended the Oct. 5 meeting, which Worley did not call or attend. At the Oct. 12 meeting, which Worley called and presided over, 161 SDEC members answered roll. The vote to adopt the Worley version of the bylaws on Oct. 12 was 80-73.