Races Are Finalized For November’s General Election

By David Howell

Editor

WATER VALLEY – The November General Election is just around the corner and there are two contested races for school board positions in the county and a contested judicial race in addition to a pair of Senate races that will appear on the ballot. 

At the local level, Rodney Phillips and Elizabeth “Betsy” Person qualified to run for Position Two in the Water Valley School District, setting up a contested race for the slot. Phillips is currently serving as the Position Two trustee following an appointment by the school board last December when Lamar Burgess resigned from the position.

For the second consecutive year, no candidate qualified for the Position One slot in the Water Valley School District. Currently Bryan Gilley serves in this position after he was appointed by school trustees last year when no candidate qualified for the slot.  The deadline to qualify for school board was on Sept. 7. 

In Coffeeville there is a contested race for Position Two after Estella Ray Townes qualified to run against incumbent Roger L. Jackson, Sr.

Voters in Yalobusha County will also weigh in on the race for District 17 Circuit Court Judge, Post 2, as incumbent Judge Jimmy McClure faces a challenge from Bob Morris in Yalobusha, Panola, Tate and Tallahatchie counties. McClure has been elected to the position three terms. Morris serves as an assistant district attorney for the 17th Judicial District.  

Other contested races on the ballot include: 

U.S. Senate

• Roger Wicker (Republican – incumbent)

• David Baria (Democrat)

• Danny Bedwell (Libertarian Party)

• Shawn O’Hara (Reform Party)

U.S. House of Representatives District 2

• Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat – incumbent)

• Irving Harris (Reform)

• Troy Ray (Independent)

U.S. Senate Special Election

(Non-partisan because it is a special election)

• Tobey Bartee

• Mike Espy

• Cindy Hyde-Smith (incumbent)

• Chris McDaniel

Other candidates who are unopposed and will be on the ballot include:

Court Of Appeals, District 1, Position 2 – Donna M. Barnes;

Chancery Court Judge, District 3, Post 2 – Vicki B. Daniels;

Chancery Court Judge, District 3, Post 3 – Mitchell M. Lundy, Jr.

Circuit Court Judge, District 17, Post 1 – Smith Murphey

Circuit Court Judge, District 17, At-Large – Gerald W. Chatham, Sr.

Circuit Clerk Burney also reminds all voters in the county that October 8, is the deadline to notify his office of any changes prior to the November 6 election. He listed four criteria that would warrant a trip to his offices in Water Valley or Coffeeville before the deadline – if you have moved, had a name change, if you have never registered to vote or if you turn 18 years old before November 6 and plan to vote for the first time.

Voters can cast an absentee for the election beginning Sept. 22. In Mississippi, registered voters are eligible to vote absentee because of age, health or work demands, or their affiliation with the U.S. armed forces. For example, voters who will be outside their county of residence on election day are entitled to vote by absentee ballot.

The deadline to vote absentee is Nov. 3 at noon in the Circuit Clerk’s offices in Water Valley or Coffeeville.