HUNTSVILLE – Devyn Keith will launch his campaign for re-election as District 1 representative on the Huntsville City Council with a block party of sorts along one of the streets in his purview that covers much of the north-northwest toward downtown.

The campaign kickoff will be from 6-8 p.m. Sunday; headquarters are 6500 Pisgah Drive.

Keith, a Huntsville native, was elected to represent the district in 2016 when he was 27 as the youngest council member elected to Huntsville’s legislative branch of government. Council members voted him president in 2018 and again in 2019. He was re-elected to the council in 2020. 

His second term saw controversy as he was arrested for shoplifting. He apologized and later reached a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor shoplifting. He was given a suspended jail sentence, two years of unsupervised probation and banned from Walmart.

“I can’t believe it. By the Grace of God I’m here, still,” Keith told 256 Today. “We’ll be announcing on Sunday. We’ll be kicking off and we’ll have a fundraiser as I call it just to talk about the highlights of the last seven years and the excitement of what’s to come over the next four years.”

Keith will have at least one challenger. Michelle Watkins, who represents the same district on the Huntsville City School Board, announced her candidacy for the District 1 council seat.

Meanwhile, the incumbent will mingle with his constituents Sunday when his campaign gets underway.

“We’re actually launching the campaign in a redeveloped neighborhood,” Keith said. “It’s the newest neighborhood in North Huntsville. It’ll be in the streets of the neighborhood, like a block party.”