Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress 268336-2Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 10, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

The Gadsden Mall security had Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires surrounded. Their orange lights bounced off the water of the nearby wildlife park and the exterior walls of the shopping complex.

With a PA in the bed of a Toyota Tacoma, decorated with posters for U.S. Senate candidate Doug Jones, Birmingham’s southern punk rockers were halted somewhere between the food court and Sears, where two former female employees described unwanted advances by Jones’ opponent Roy Moore in the fall of 1977. Getting kicked off of mall property seemed fitting.

Without resistance and with hours until polls opened, the band shut down their show and ended their day long tour campaigning for what would be the first  Alabama democrat elected to the senate in 25 years.

Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress 267965Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 10, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

In anticipation of working on a Portrait of AIabama Voters, I arrived a few days early in Birmingham a week ago today to take in the atmosphere. And for me, that involves being a photojournalist - without any assignments or deadlines. Here’s a look at Birmingham during the days leading up to last week’s election

Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress 268094-3Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 10, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress 269958Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 10, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress 268410Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 10, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford roy moore vs doug jones for senate alabama photos 267653Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 9, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford roy moore vs doug jones for senate alabama photos 267132-4Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 9, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress 267910Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 10, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford roy moore vs doug jones for senate alabama photos 267759Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 9, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford roy moore vs doug jones for senate alabama photos 267365Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 9, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress 270036Doug JOnes vs Roy Moore for Congress - Birmingham, AL - Dec 10, 2017 - Photo by Columbia SC photographer Sean Rayford

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