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- Voters across the Magnolia State will decide who will lead their cities and towns on Tuesday.
Municipal elections often do not receive the attention from voters like state or national races. However, who the mayor and city council / board of aldermen are can have a significant impact on the day-to-day lives of residents, from the quality of their water to local business development and much more.
Here are the Top 10 Mississippi mayor elections to watch this Tuesday, June 3, as voters choose who will lead these municipalities for the next four years.
Top 10 Mississippi Mayor Races to Watch
1. Jackson
Democrat nominee State Senator John Horhn leads a crowded General Election field seeking to be the next mayor of the state’s capital city. Horhn defeated incumbent Mayor Chokwe Lumumba in the Democratic Primary runoff election.
Rodney DePriest, an Independent, has made a significant push down the stretch for the mayor’s office, while Republican nominee Kenny Gee and Independent candidates Zach Servis and Lillie Robinson have also been working to gain support ahead of Tuesday’s election.
Kim Wade, also an Independent, has withdrawn from the race and thrown his support behind DePriest. However, Wade’s name will still be on the ballot Tuesday.
2. Gulfport
Perhaps the most intriguing General Election mayor’s race this cycle is in Mississippi’s second largest city of Gulfport.
With incumbent Mayor Billy Hewes (R) not seeking re-election, the race between Republican nominee Hugh Keating, who Hewes supports, and Democrat nominee Sonya Williams Barnes has drawn the attention of state and national party leaders as well as accusations of improper campaign tactics.
3. Brookhaven
Incumbent Republican Mayor Joe Cox is seeking his fourth term in office on Tuesday. Cox is being challenged by Democrat nominee Larry Jointer, a local pastor.
This race is a rematch from four years ago when Cox topped Jointer by just 20 votes to win his third term.
4. Horn Lake
Republican nominee Danny Klein, the current Alderman-at-Large, will face Democrat nominee Jimmy Stokes in Tuesday’s General Election for mayor.
Incumbent Republican Mayor Allen Latimer did not seek a fourth term.
5. Wiggins
Incumbent Independent Mayor Darrell Berry is facing a strong challenge from Republican nominee Heather Patterson in Tuesday’s General Election. Berry is in his first term.
6. Columbus
Ward 5 City Councilman Stephen Jones, a Democrat, will face two Independents Tuesday, Darren Leach and Bill Strauss.
One-term Mayor Keith Gaskin did not seek re-election but is supporting Leach, a local pastor.
7. Philadelphia
Democrat nominee Leroy Clemons will face Republican nominee Jim Fulton, a three-term Alderman, on Tuesday in the General Election.
Incumbent Mayor James A. Young (D) did not make the Democratic Primary runoff election, finishing third in the field.
8. Clarksdale
State Rep. Orlando Paden, the Democrat nominee, is seeking to replace two term Mayor Chuck Espy (D) who did not run for re-election.
Paden has two General Election opponents on Tuesday, Milton Gardner and Scotty Meredith, both of who are Independents.
9. Magee
Incumbent Independent Mayor Dale Berry dropped out of the race in May, citing health concerns. Now seeking the mayor’s office are Independent Jim Snider and Republican nominee Mark Grubbs, the current Ward 1 Alderman.
10. Greenwood
For a third consecutive election cycle, incumbent Independent Mayor Carolyn McAdams will face Kenderick Cox, the Democrat nominee. McAdams is seeking her fifth term, and if she wins, she has said it would be her last.
In the 2021 election cycle, McAdams bested Cox by 94 votes.
Honorable Mentions
Gautier
Incumbent Independent Mayor Casey Vaughan has a rematch with Republican nominee and former Mayor Phil Torjusen.
Vaughan, a sitting city councilman at the time, bested Torjusen four years ago by 155 votes, winning 53.4 percent of the vote.
Pearl
Incumbent Republican Mayor Jake Windham is seeking his third term against Democrat nominee Willie Robinson.
Senatobia
Incumbent Republican Mayor Greg Graves is seeking a third term against Democrat nominee Elliott Bobo.
Kosciusko
Mayor Tim Kyle, an Independent, will face Marvin Myles Jr., the Democrat nominee.
