State Rep. Barbara Drummond’s campaign for Mobile mayor is about to get a major boost with key endorsements.

Former Mobile City Councilman Jermaine Burrell and former Mobile Police Chief and Public Safety Director Lawrence Battiste, both of whom exited the mayoral race just before the qualifying deadline, are set to endorse Drummond at a news conference scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at Government Plaza.

Drummond is now the only Black candidate on the ballot. This gives her a chance to consolidate a key voting bloc in a city where 47.5% of the voting age population is Black, compared to 46.1% white, following a 2023 redistricting.

Burrell and Battiste were the only other Black candidates to enter the race before stepping aside on the final day of qualifying, which was Tuesday.

The final list of qualified candidates, posted by the Mobile City Clerk, includes Drummond, former Mobile County District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis, Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudson, and former Police Chief Paul Prine.

Cheriogotis, endorsed by outgoing Mayor Sandy Stimpson, has built a formidable financial lead, raising more than $845,000 since January. That’s nearly half of the $1.86 million raised collectively by all candidates through the end of May. Hudson also launched her campaign early and has remained competitive in the fundraising race.

Alabama’s municipal elections are set for Aug. 26. A runoff, if no candidate captures more than 50% of the vote, is scheduled for Sept. 23.