The mayor of Orange Beach, Alabama, is Tony Kennon, who has held the office since 2008 and won re-election most recently in August 2025. Because Orange Beach has fewer than 12,000 residents, the mayor is not a separate executive sitting apart from the council; he presides over council meetings and votes on every matter that comes before them.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 11-43-2 – Election of Mayors and Aldermen His current term began after a swearing-in ceremony on November 3, 2025.2City of Orange Beach, AL. Municipal Election Information
Who Tony Kennon Is
Kennon grew up in Chickasaw, Alabama, and has lived in Orange Beach full-time since 1991. He holds a physical therapy degree from the University of South Alabama and owned Forever Young Rehabilitation Services, now called Encore Rehabilitation. He spent four years as team physical therapist and athletic trainer for the University of Alabama Athletic Department and is a founding board member of the university’s Sports Medicine Bureau.3City of Orange Beach, AL. Mayors Biography
Before running for mayor, he served on the Orange Beach Planning Commission and the City Council.3City of Orange Beach, AL. Mayors Biography He first won the mayor’s office on August 26, 2008, and has held it continuously since.4City of Orange Beach, Alabama. Tony Kennon In the August 2025 race, he defeated challenger Boyd by roughly 1,900 votes to 1,300.5FOX10 News. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Re-Elect Incumbent Mayors
What the Mayor Can Actually Do
Under Alabama law, the mayor has general supervision and control of all municipal departments, programs, and facilities. He signs deeds, contracts, and bonds on the city’s behalf, including those required in judicial proceedings, and traditionally serves as the chief conservator of the peace with authority to direct police during emergencies.6Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 11-43-80 – Powers and Duties Generally At least once every six months, he must give the council a written statement on the city’s financial condition and recommend steps to protect it, and he can require any city officer to report at times he directs.7Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 11-43-84 – Requiring of Reports
The feature that sets small-city mayors apart in Alabama matters here. In cities under 12,000, the mayor presides at council meetings and votes on any question; when the council deadlocks, the mayor casts the tie-breaker and is required to vote.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 11-43-2 – Election of Mayors and Aldermen Orange Beach’s population of roughly 8,900 puts it well below that line, so Kennon is both chief executive and a sitting legislator alongside the five council members.
One power the mayor does not hold alone: hiring. The City Council appoints department heads, the city attorney, and the members of boards, commissions, and committees.8City of Orange Beach, AL. About If you’re trying to figure out who controls a specific staffing decision in Orange Beach, start with the council.
When the Next Election Happens
Alabama holds its municipal elections on the fourth Tuesday in August, so the next Orange Beach mayoral race falls in August 2029. If no candidate wins outright, a runoff follows on the fourth Tuesday after the regular election.9Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 11-46-21 – Time of Elections
Candidates must be at least 18, registered voters, and residents of the city for at least 90 days before the election. The winner must keep living inside the city limits throughout the term.10Alabama Legislature. Election Handbook – Chapter 4 Candidate Requirements Alabama imposes no term limits on mayors. Kennon’s run of continuous service since 2008 shows how long an incumbent can stay in place when voters keep returning them.
What Happens If the Seat Goes Vacant
If the mayor’s office opens up mid-term in Orange Beach, the city council fills it. The council can pick one of its own members or someone from outside, as long as the person is a registered voter in the municipality and meets the other legal qualifications.11Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 11-43-42 – Exercise of Functions of Mayor During Absence or Disability of Mayor In Alabama cities of 12,000 or more, the council president automatically steps into the mayor’s seat for the remainder of the term, but that automatic-succession rule does not reach Orange Beach.
How to Reach the Mayor’s Office
The mayor’s office is at Orange Beach City Hall, and administrative inquiries generally go through the city’s executive assistant. Meeting agendas, official records, and contact forms are posted at orangebeachal.gov.12City of Orange Beach. Council Members