All Eyes On Tuesday’s Vote
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U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith visits with 2-year-old Mary Mack Baker during a stop at Everest in Water Valley last Thursday. Mary Mack is the daughter of Joshua and Molly Baker of Water Valley. During the visit, Hyde-Smith met with Joshua, a technology entrepreneur whose company is located at Everest, and learned about his efforts to develop artificial intelligence systems to improve American manufacturing.
WATER VALLEY – Yalobusha County voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, to decide several contested federal and judicial races, with Saturday marking the final opportunity to cast an absentee ballot in person.
Circuit Clerk Daryl Burney said his offices at the Water Valley and Coffeeville courthouses will be open from 8 a.m. until noon Saturday, Oct. 31, for voters who qualify to vote absentee.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday at voting precincts throughout Yalobusha County.
According to a report issued Monday, Oct. 26, by the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office, Yalobusha County had 185 absentee voters, with 181 ballots sent and 167 returned.
“I think that’s pretty light, especially compared to the turnout I’m hearing about in some of our surrounding counties,” Burney said. “It could pick up later this week.”
Burney said Yalobusha County has approximately 8,000 registered voters, with turnout in midterm elections historically averaging around 40 percent. That would translate to approximately 3,200 voters participating in the election.
“Hopefully, we’ll see a stronger turnout this year,” Burney said. “Everybody needs to get out and vote.”
Voters who have questions about absentee voting or their registration status may contact the Circuit Clerk’s Office at 662-473-1341 in Water Valley or 662-675-8187 in Coffeeville.
Federal Races
Yalobusha County voters will decide two contested federal races, including a U.S. Senate contest and the election for Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District.
Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith faces Democrat Scott Colom and independent Ty Pinkins in the U.S. Senate race.
Hyde-Smith has served in the Senate since 2018, when she was appointed to fill the seat previously held by Thad Cochran. She subsequently won a special election and was elected to a full six-year term in 2020.
Colom, of Columbus, is the former district attorney for Mississippi’s 16th Circuit Court District. He was nominated for a federal judgeship in 2022, but the nomination was not confirmed.
Pinkins, an attorney and military veteran from the Mississippi Delta, was the Democratic nominee for secretary of state in 2023 and for U.S. Senate in 2024. He is running as an independent this year.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Democratic incumbent Bennie G. Thompson faces Republican Ron Eller and independent Bennie Foster.
Thompson, of Bolton, has represented the district since winning a special election in 1993. He is the ranking Democratic member of the House Homeland Security Committee and previously served as its chairman.
Eller is a retired Army officer and physician assistant who has previously sought the congressional seat. Foster, a Jackson native, is a longtime educator, administrator and community advocate running as an independent.
Judicial Races
Two contested judicial races also appear on the Yalobusha County ballot.
In the nonpartisan race for Mississippi Court of Appeals District 1, Position 1, incumbent Judge John Weddle faces Clarksdale attorney Derek Dewayne Hopson Jr. Weddle was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2024 by Gov. Tate Reeves following the retirement of Judge Jim Greenlee. He previously served as district attorney for Mississippi’s 1st Circuit Court District.
Hopson is a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law and has practiced in state and federal courts in North Mississippi.
The other contested judicial race is for Chancery Court District 3, Place 1, where Ginger M. Miller faces Jay Westfaul. The race is nonpartisan.
Miller, of Senatobia, is the longtime Tate County prosecuting attorney, a position she has held for 18 years. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University of Mississippi School of Law, she has nearly two decades of experience in chancery court, including serving as a guardian ad litem in child custody and abuse cases. She also served eight years as attorney for the city of Senatobia.
Westfaul, a Batesville attorney with more than three decades of legal experience, has served as municipal judge for Batesville, Pope and Courtland. He has also served as a youth court judge and chancery court family master. Westfaul earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Mississippi.
The election comes as Mississippi reorganizes its chancery court districts, with changes taking effect Jan. 1, 2027. The Third Chancery Court District will include Yalobusha, Panola, Tate, Grenada, Montgomery, Carroll and Tallahatchie counties. DeSoto County, previously part of the district, will be placed in a separate district.
Chancery courts handle matters including divorces, child custody, estates, guardianships and property disputes.
Several other judicial candidates are unopposed, including Sabrina D. Howell for Chancery Court District 3, Place 2, and Mitchell M. Lundy Jr. for Place 3.
Smith Murphey V is unopposed for Circuit Court District 17, Place 1, while James “Jimmy” McClure is the only candidate for Place 2.
Court of Appeals Judge Donna M. Barnes is also unopposed for District 1, Position 2.
There are no contested county races on the ballot.
Two school board positions are also uncontested, with Mitchell Steen listed for Coffeeville School Board District 5 and Tonya Eubanks for Water Valley School Board District 5.
Poll Workers Named for Election
Yalobusha County election officials have announced the poll workers assigned to the county’s 12 voting precincts for the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election.
The following workers are listed by beat and precinct:
Beat 1 – North: Loretta Reece, Judy Sartain, Martha Telford and Cindy Whatley.
Beat 1 – South: Cindy Ross, Rodney Gray, Cheryl Gray and Clydie Nicholson.
Beat 2 – Water Valley: Erin Abbott, Cathy Magee, Irene Judson and Linda Pulley.
Beat 3 – Northwest: Cathy Pullen, Kathy Patton, Reeda Coffer, Terry Anthony and Becky York.
Beat 3 – Sylva Rena: Dale Knuth, Coulter Fussell, Connie Champion and Anne Winebrenner.
Beat 4 – Coffeeville: Elizabeth Johnsey, Riva Shelton, Claude Harris and Mary Bland.
Beat 4 – Oakland: Carolyn Tinner, Lizzie Bland, Freddie Winters and Jane Jolly.
Beat 5 – Coffeeville: Denise Box, Elsie Harrison and Avis Jean Dean.
Beat 5 – Scobey: Vickie Camp, Gloria Roydson, Ricky Camp and Barbara Duke.
Beat 5 – Tillatoba: Kristine Kelly, Essie Gary and Cathy Vaughn.
Beat 5 – SVMS North: Sue Russell, Inez Russell and Jamie Grace.
Beat 5 – SVMS South: Emma Coleman, Tressa Eubanks, Randy Coleman and Diane Hill.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday.
