Candidates race to fill countywide offices
Three countywide offices will be up for grabs this year following retirements.
John E. Stephens will wrap up his second term as Neshoba County Coroner this year and has no plans to run for a third.
“I plan to devote all my time to the funeral home,” Stephens said Tuesday in between juggling autopsy reports and calls from the Mississippi State Crime Lab.
Two Republicans, Deputy Medical Examiner Myron Williams and Tim Watkins, have both submitted qualifying paperwork to run for the office.
Chancery Clerk Guy Nowell is retiring after his third term ends this year.
Republican Gidget Stovall Tate is the lone qualifier for the office as of 9 a.m. Tuesday. Tate currently works for Nowell in the Chancery Clerk’s office.
Circuit Clerk Patti Duncan Lee will be passing the torch after finishing her seventh term.
Delana Waddell and former Election Commissioner Heather Rushing Kennedy both submitted qualifying paperwork as Republicans for that office.
District 1 Supervisor Keith Lillis has not qualified to run for a seventh term. Republicans Mike Snow and Shelby Beason have both submitted qualifying paperwork.
In District 2, incumbent Republican Kevin Cumberland is being challenged by Republican Susan G. Shoffner.
In District 3, incumbent Republican Kinsey Smith has three Republican opponents in Christopher C. Gardner, Clay Young and Jon Eubanks.
In District 4, incumbent Republican Kevin Wilcher is being opposed by Republican Marty Sistrunk.
And in District 5, incumbent Democrat Obbie Riley will face off against Democrat Deric Horne in the August primary and the winner will take on Republican David Carter in the November general election.
Incumbent Republican Sheriff Eric Clark faces GOP challenger Jessie Hamilton.
Four people have submitted paperwork to run as Republicans for Constable Place 1. They are: John Lilly, Patrick L. Burt, Richard Cooney and Terry Todd. Incumbent Josh Burt announced he would be retiring after his first term ends this year.
Incumbent Republican Keith McCrory is currently unopposed for Constable Place 2.
County Attorney Robert Lee Thomas, Justice Court Judges Paul Payne and Johnathan Earl Spears, and Tax Assessor/Collector Mike Lewis are all currently unopposed as they seek another term in their respective offices.
The qualifying deadline is 5 p.m. on Feb. 1.
The party primaries will be held on Aug. 8 with a runoff scheduled for Aug. 29, if necessary.
The general election is set for Nov. 7, with a runoff on Nov. 28, if necessary.