Sunflower County District 3 voters have chosen a new supervisor to serve for the next three years. Roger Anthony defeated Joseph “Joe” Wilson by a wide margin during this past Tuesday’s special election, according to unofficial results. Counting absentee ballots, Anthony had 960 votes to Wilson’s 556, which is 63% of the vote. The District 3 seat was vacated last November after the passing of Ben Gaston, who had won the August 2023 primary. Sherry Gaston, Ben Gaston’s widow, was appointed by the board of supervisors shortly after his death to fill the spot, and the board set the special election for this past Tuesday. Sherry Gaston did not seek election to the seat. Roughly 730 more people voted in the District 3 election this week than did so during the August 2023 primary, which is consistent with a strong voter turnout likely driven by the presidential election. Anthony told The Enterprise-Tocsin that he is looking forward to getting to work. He said that he hopes that future meetings will be more peaceful, and his top priorities are balancing the county’s budget and avoiding a tax increase for taxpayers next year. “I want to thank everyone for supporting me,” Anthony said. “To have this many friends who want me to represent them is awesome.” Gaston told The E-T this week that she plans to be at the next board meeting, and she plans for that to be her final meeting. Anthony could conceivably take office by the first of December if he is bonded by that time. Board Attorney Johnny McWilliams told The E-T a number of things would need to happen for that to take place. First, the county vote needs to be certified, which could happen within the next seven to ten days. Second, Gaston would likely need to resign from the county board. Third, Anthony would need to be bonded and sign an oath. This was a special election, and Anthony will fill the remainder of Ben Gaston’s term. McWilliams said that Anthony likely can take office in December without having to be appointed by the board for the final month of the year. “As soon as he has his bond and signs his oath and she resigns, he (may take office). That can happen very easily by the first of December,” McWilliams said. Sunflower County also had three uncontested election commission races, with Terosa H. Bradley, Margaret Rushing and Shirley Weeks winning Districts 1, 3 and 5 respectively. As for the presidential election, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris carried the county by a wide margin with 5,170 votes to Republican and eventual winner Donald J. Trump’s 2,470 votes here. A total of 7,688 Sunflower County citizens cast votes in that election. In the U.S. Senate Race, Democrat Ty Pinkins carried the county against Republican and eventual winner Roger Wicker with 4,548 votes to Wicker’s 3,007 here. House of Representatives District 2 winner Bennie G. Thompson carried the county by a wide margin against Republican Ron Eller (5,398-2,257 here). The Central District Supreme Court seat will go to a runoff between Jenifer B. Branning and incumbent Jim Kitchens. Kitchens had 2,481 votes in the county, while Ceola James had 2,248 votes, and Branning had 1,501. That runoff election will take place on Nov. 26.
