STARKVILLE — The Democratic primary for the mayor’s race was too close to call Tuesday night. The result may come down to affidavit ballots, which will be processed Wednesday at City Hall.
Incumbent Mayor Lynn Spruill led by only a slim margin, with 1,400 (50.98%) votes to former fire chief Charles Yarbrough’s 1,231 (44.83%). Starkville High School teacher Brenna Betts also received 115 votes (4.19%), according to unofficial results. If no candidate can secure more than 50% of the primary vote, the top two will advance to a runoff April 22.
Whether that happens will come down to 96 affidavit ballots.
Affidavit ballots are cast when poll workers cannot determine whether voters are registered or where their voting precinct is. The resolution board, which is appointed by the municipal election commission, then goes through the ballots to determine which ones are valid and counts those.
Spruill said she thinks the close margin shows the diversity of the community of Starkville, and the tight margin is not unlike what she saw during her first race in 2017, which came down to a runoff election.
“There’s a great deal of respect that you have to give to everybody who came out and voted, whether they voted for me or Charles or Brenna,” Spruill said. “I appreciate that the people decided to believe in the things that I’ve been doing, and I look forward to continuing that.”
Yarbrough said he is “overwhelmed” at the support he saw in his first time running for office. He also voiced his pride in the voter turnout.
“It’s exciting,” Yarbrough said. “I didn’t expect this. I expected it to be close, (but) I didn’t expect it to be this close. But at the end of the day, we’re still in the race. It’ll come down to the affidavit ballots. We’re going to see what happens tomorrow. I think there’s a good chance that we’re going to end up in a runoff. If not, then I’m still proud of people who came out and supported (me).”
The winner will face Republican Roger Basset in the general election June 3.
Speaking to The Dispatch by phone Tuesday night, Betts said she believes the close margin is an indication that Starkville residents are looking for a change, no matter if the race goes to a runoff. She also called running for office “an expression of all of our rights,” and encouraged others to do the same.
“It’s really important to me that everyone knows that they can run for office, as long as they think that they can make a difference, whether they win or not,” Betts said. “And I think that’s especially important for our younger demographic going into the current political climate, whether that’s municipal or state or federal, etc.”
Ward 3
Republican James Kyle Skinner will also advance to the general election in June, knocking off incumbent Jeffrey Rupp by a 289 (56.01%) to 227 (43.99%) margin.
Skinner now faces Democrat Laurel Lynn Rowse in the general election.
Other races
Incumbent Roy A. Perkins has once again taken the seat in Ward 6, having beaten challenger Tomeka Rhine by a 325 (68.13%) to 152 (31.87%) margin.
Meanwhile, in Ward 7, incumbent Henry Vaughn will return to the seat, having beaten challenger Nedra Lowery by a 318 (78.33%) to 88 (21.67%) margin.
In Wards 1, 2, and 4, incumbents Kim Moreland, Sandra Sistrunk and Mike Brooks, respectively, are running unopposed. Moreland is an independent, while Sistrunk and Brooks are Democrats.
Newcomer William Pochop, an independent, is running unopposed for the Ward 5 seat. Incumbent Hamp Beatty is not seeking reelection.
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