CHOCTAW — A runoff election to become chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is set for July 2.
Official results of the Tuesday election show challenger Cyrus Ben leads two-term Chief Phyliss Anderson. Ben won 45 percent of nearly 3,700 votes, while Anderson won nearly 36 percent. Four other candidates won about 20 percent, meaning no one received the majority needed to win.
Anderson was first elected in 2011, defeating incumbent Beasley Denson.
The 11,000-member tribe controls three casinos and other businesses. Its reservation stretches across 35,000 acres in parts of 10 Mississippi counties.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.