Clemons challenge moved to Oct. 18

A challenge to the June 8 alderman-at-large election has an Oct. 18 court date after being postponed due to rising COVID-19 numbers.

Leroy Clemons, the incumbent Democrat, lost by one vote and filed the challenge to the results on June 28, the day newly-elected city officials were sworn in.

Republican challenger James Carson Waltman beat Clemons 670 to 669.

Clemons' 10-page court challenge states in part, “There were widespread irregularities in the failure to secure ballot boxes in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. Section 23-15-595. The ballot boxes lacked substantial security to safeguard the contents of the ballot boxes to prevent the taking away of legally cast votes and ballot box stuffing in the Municipal General Election.”

Clemons said he is looking forward to having the case heard in court.

“Both sides will present their evidence and then a decision will be made,” Clemons said. “We are saying there are votes that were not counted. They should have been. … There were some irregularities in the election process that may or may not have caused some votes not to be counted.”

Clemons said he would not characterize what he is seeking as a recount.

“We are actually asking for them to go back through and make sure the election was done properly and that all the votes that should have been counted were counted,” Clemons said.

Waltman said he is letting his attorneys handle the case.

“I’m serving as alderman but as far as the court, I have an attorney and they are handling it,” Waltman said.

Clemons said regardless of the outcome, “I’m at peace. It is going to be what it is going to be.”

Clemons’ attorney is Margarette Meeks of Jackson.

Waltman’s attorney is Bill Hamack of Meridian.