- A look at the five Municipal Primary races worth keeping an eye on.
Mississippians will soon head to the polls to vote in municipal elections, electing mayors, aldermen, councilmen and more for the next four years.
Nearly all of the state’s nearly 300 cities and towns, with the exception of special charter municipalities, are holding elections this year.
April 1 is Municipal Primary Election Day. Voters will choose to either vote in the Republican or Democratic Primary, just as is done during state or federal elections.
Voters in Mississippi do not register by party. They can decide the day of the election which party primary to cast their ballot in. However, should there be a primary runoff election, a voter can only return to the polls to vote in a runoff in the party primary they participated in on the initial election day.
It is not uncommon for voters to cross party lines in municipal elections in hopes of having a greater impact, especially in areas where one party reigns.
For example, the majority of voters in the City of Jackson lean Democrat, meaning a Democratic candidate is most likely to win the mayor’s race in the capital city. Republican voters, who would normally vote in the GOP Primary, have been known to crossover in such races. The same could be said of voters who normally vote Democrat in strong Republican areas such as municipalities on the Coast.
Winners in these primary elections, along with Independent candidates, will move on to the June 3 Municipal General Election.
Absentee voting is currently underway ahead of the April 1st Municipal Primary Election Day. Municipal Clerk’s Offices are accepting absentee ballots during the week across the state. Those offices will also be open two Saturdays – March 22 and March 29 – from 8:00 a.m. until noon for in-person absentee voting.
If a voter has requested a ballot be mailed to them, all mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by April 1, the day of the primary election.
The Top 5 Municipal Primary Races to Watch
While there is often very little intrigue in municipal elections, there are a few hot spots worth keeping an eye on come April 1. Here are the Top 5 Municipal Primary races to watch.
1. Mayor – Jackson
There are 12 Democrats running for Mayor in the City of Jackson, including incumbent Mayor Chokwe Lumumba who has been indicted on federal bribery charges.
State Senator John Horhn, former Hinds County Supervisor David Archie, and retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tim Henderson are among the Democrats seeking to oust Lumumba.
In addition to the Democratic Primary, there are three Republican candidates seeking the office of Mayor as well as four Independent candidates.
2. Mayor – Ocean Springs
Three candidates are running to unseat incumbent Mayor Kenny Holloway in the Republican Primary. One of those is current Alderman-at-Large Bobby Cox.
The other two candidates in the GOP mayoral primary are Jon Hitchcock and Dennis McGrevey.
As no other candidates qualified, this race will be decided in the primary.
3. Mayor – Starkville
Incumbent Mayor Lynn Spruill has drawn two challengers in the Democratic Primary in Starkville.
Charles Yarbrough and Breanna Betts are running against Spruill on April 1.
Republicans do have a choice in this election, as Roger Bassett is the lone GOP candidate.
4. Mayor – Meridian
Meridian Mayor Jimmy Smith is being challenged by former mayor Percy Bland and two others in the Democratic Primary.
The other two Democrat candidates are Ty Bell and Rita Jack.
Stephen Boler is running as a Republican while Jimmy Copeland is running as an Independent.
5. Mayor – Gulfport
Longtime Mayor Billy Hewes is not seeking re-election, leaving an open seat election this cycle.
Hugh Keating, a Republican, is the odds-on favorite to succeed Hewes. He is the lone GOP candidate.
However, two Democrats are looking to win their party’s nomination and face Keating in the General Election. They are former state lawmaker Sonia Williams-Barnes and Ronnie Henderson.
Frank Corder
