Alabama’s top election official says a lawsuit seeking to bar Republican gubernatorial candidate Robert Bentley from the ballot will not delay Tuesday’s election.

Secretary of State Beth Chapman issued a press release Thursday stating she had received telephone calls from voters asking if the Nov. 2 General Election would be postponed due to a Birmingham physician’s lawsuit demanding that Attorney General Troy King rule swiftly on whether Bentley’s should be removed from the ballot or whether he should be certified if he wins.

In a complaint Filed Oct. 21 with King’s office, former Birmingham City Councilman Jimmy Blake contends Bentley’s campaign violated the Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act by accepting illegal corporate campaign contributions.

Blake filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Jefferson County Circuit Court asking the court to force a speedy ruling on the complaint. Blake is asking the court to remove Bentley’s name from the ballot, delay the election until a replacement is named or bar certification of Bentley as governor should he win.

Chapman said the election would commence as planned.

“Any request to stop the election at this late date is unreasonable, would be a huge burden to the taxpayer, and would disenfranchise every single voter in this state,” Chapman wrote

The attorney general has not ruled on the request to bar certification but he has told Bentley to return excess contributions because the donations exceed the legal limit.

In a letter dated Oct. 25, King asked Bentley’s campaign to repay $13,500 of the $22,500 in corporate contributions received between March 3 and Sept. 3. By law, Bentley should have accepted only $9,000 of that.

Under the law, corporations are allowed to contribute up to $500 to a candidate for each separate election during a calendar year. That means a candidate can accept a total of $1,500 for the Primary, Primary Run-off and General Election.

According to King’s letter, Bentley received the following corporate donations:

• $2,500 from Chris Riles of Chris Riles Insurance Agency of Northport on March 3;

• $2,500 from T.A. Hall Contractors of Spanish Fort on July 26;

• $2,500 from Command Alkon of Birmingham on Aug. 18;

• $2,500 from Foley Materials Co. of Columbus, Ga., on Sept. 3;

• $2,500 from Matrix of Auburn on Sept. 3 and;

• $10,000 from General Insulation of Theodore on Aug. 6.

The polls will be open Tuesday, as planned, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the election of various local, county and state offices, including governor. Bentley is opposed by Democrat Ron Sparks.