Mississippi cities holding party primaries for mayor

JACKSON — Mississippi’s top elections official is predicting low voter turnout for municipal party primaries.

Polls are open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday for primaries that will narrow the list of candidates for mayor in several cities.

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said Monday that a small number of absentee ballots have been cast.

“I have tried to cajole or just embarrass people to come and vote, and I’m not being successful,” Hosemann, a Republican, said during a forum sponsored by the Capitol press corps and Mississippi State University’s Stennis Institute of Government.

Primary runoffs are May 16. The general election is June 6, and new terms begin July 1.

“These are the people that give you fire protection and police protection and they provide your water and sewer and pick up your garbage,” Hosemann said.

One of the hardest-fought races for mayor is in Jackson, where Mayor Tony Yarber, who won a special election in 2014, faces nine challengers in the Democratic primary. Among them are Ronnie Crudup Jr., who works for a church ministry; Robert Graham, who’s a Hinds County supervisor; state Sen. John Horhn; and attorney Chokwe Antar Lumumba, whose father died in 2014 after serving less than a year as mayor.

Mayor’s races have already been decided in Gulfport, where Republican Billy Hewes is unopposed for a second term; and Oxford, where Democrat Robyn Tannehill is the only person running for the open seat.

A look at other mayoral primaries: BILOXI — Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gillich, who won a special election in 2015, is challenged in the Republican primary by Jess Kennedy. The nominee will face Democrat Sugar Stallings in the general election.

CLARKSDALE — First-term Mayor Bill Luckett, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2011, faces four Democratic primary challengers. They are former state Rep. Chuck Espy, who lost to Luckett in the 2013 mayor’s race; Doris Haynes Miller; Buster Moton, who is one of four city commissioners; and Ray T. Sykes.

COLUMBUS — Third-term Mayor Robert Smith is challenged in the Democratic primary by Carl Lee and former police chief Selvain McQueen. The nominee faces inde

pendent Montrell Coburn in the general election.

GREENWOOD — The three candidates in the Democratic primary are Jelani Barr, who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2015, Kenderick Cox and Tavarris Cross. The nominee will face two independents in the general election: Second-term Mayor Carolyn McAdams and Shun Pearson.

HATTIESBURG — Fourthterm Mayor Johnny DuPree, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2011, is challenged in the Democratic primary by Thomas Garmin, who founded the Hattiesburg Patriot website, and Catherine M. Starr, who has never held public office. The Democratic nominee will face two independent candidates. State Rep. Toby Barker serves as a Republican in the Legislature but is running for mayor without a party label. Shawn O’Hara has run unsuccessfully for several statewide offices.

HERNANDO — The mayor’s race will be decided in the Republican primary, where third-term Mayor Chip Johnson is challenged by N.C. “Tom” Ferguson Jr., who is a pilot.

MADISON — The mayor’s race will be decided in the Republican primary, where nine-term Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler is challenged by businessman Matt Armstrong.

MERIDIAN — First-term Mayor Percy Bland faces Allen Shute in the Democratic primary. The Democratic nominee will face Republican William Bond Compton, Libertarian Mariner Durant and independent Dustin Markham in the general election.

PHILADELPHIA — Secondterm Mayor James Young is challenged in the Democratic primary by former state Sen. Gloria Williamson. The nominee will face Republican Josh Webb Gamblin, who’s currently an alderman, in the general election.

SOUTHAVEN — The winner of the Republican primary will become mayor. First-term Mayor Darren Musselwhite is challenged by Tommy A. Henley, who filed a lawsuit to challenge the city’s restrictions on campaign signs, and James Weifenbach, who previously ran for DeSoto County sheriff.

STARKVILLE — The winner of the Democratic primary will win the open seat. The candidates are Johnny Moore, who’s an attorney; Damion Poe, a personnel director; and Lynn Spruill, a former chief administrative officer for the city.

TUPELO — The race will be decided Tuesday in the Democratic primary between first-term Mayor Jason Shelton and Candace Knowles.

VICKSBURG — First-term Mayor George Flaggs Jr. faces former police chief Mitchell Dent, and a Warren County supervisor, Charles Selmon, in the Democratic primary. The nominee will face independents Daryl Hollingsworth, Willie Robinson and Jennifer Thomas in the general election.