Things are astir across Sunflower County, the state and the nation as voters make ready for next Tuesday at the polls and politicians make their last-ditch effort to sway the public’s mindset in their favor.
The Nov. 6 mid-term election has key positions up for grabs in the U.S. Senate and State Legislature in addition to an array of judicial seats. Democratic and Republican candidates are toe-to-toe, vying for control.
In Sunflower County, a field of eight candidates are seeking the House District 31 seat vacated after Rep. Sara Richardson-Thomas retired earlier in the year. The winner will finish out the year that’s left in her term and have to run again in 2019 when her term expires.
The candidates are: Otis L. Anthony, Shannon D. Brown, B.C. Hammond, Carolyn Steele-Johnson, Jeanette Knighten-Washington, Ada M. Lindsey and Charles Modley, all of Indianola and Barbara Rose Brooks of Leland.
In the United States Senate race, Democrat David Baria is taking on Libertarian party member Danny Bedwell, Reform party candidate Shawn O'Hara and incumbent Republican candidate, Roger F. Wicker.
In the special election for United States Senate to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of long-time senator Thad Cochran, Tobey Bernard Bartee is hoping to accumulate more votes than Mike Espy, Chris McDaniel or Cindy Hyde-Smith, the state’s first woman in the Senate, who was appointed by Governor Phil Bryant back in the spring to fill out the unexpired term of Cochran, who was chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
In other races, Democrat Bennie G. Thompson will have to best Reform party candidate Irving Harris and Independent Troy Ray to reclaim the U.S. House Of Representatives 2nd Congressional District seat.
Several judicial positions are up for grabs including the District 2 Court of Appeals Judge’s position sought by Ceola James, Eric Charles Hawkins and Deborah McDonald.
Incumbent Jane R. Weathersby and Debra M. Giles are vying for the District 9-2 Chancery Court Judge seat.
Judge Margaret Carey-McCray Circuit Court Judge, District 4-2 is one of several judicial hopefuls running unopposed in this mid-term election. Judges Carol White-Richard, Circuit Court, District 4-3 and District 4-4 judge, Ashley Hines are also without opponents.
Voters who will need to cast their ballots by the absentee voting process still have until noon this Saturday Nov. 3 to vote in person.
The circuit clerks’ office will open 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon.
Voters need to be mindful that the absentee ballot by mail deadline is Nov. 5 by 5 p.m. Circuit Clerks’ offices must be in actual receipt of absentee ballots returned by mail for ballots to be timely.
This is not a postmark deadline but an actual receipt deadline
In the event of a runoff election, it will be held November 27 for judicial offices, certain school district trustees, county and county district vacancies.
The Enterprise-Tocsin was unable to obtain an electronic sample ballot for this issue.
We apologize for the omission.
