It was a tough week for Lowndes County Circuit Clerk Haley Salazar, between running her campaign, dealing with the normal craziness of election week and coping with a last-minute absentee ballot snafu, which required the state to reprint hundreds of ballots after 550 had already been cast locally.
Tuesday night, Salazar was so busy running the election show, she didn’t even realize she had won her fifth term as circuit clerk until a swarm of well-wishers in the Lowndes County Courthouse hallway alerted her that a celebration was in order.
Salazar defeated Republican challenger Justin Shelton with 11,382 votes (68.91 percent) to Shelton’s 5,127 (31.04 percent.)
Her two-decade tenure has been both personally fulfilling and professionally satisfying, she said, stopping briefly to field election questions and hug supporters.
“I love it,” she said of her job. “I feel like outside of service to God and my family, the circuit clerk’s office has been my life.”
Like many incumbents, she said juggling the balance between work and campaigning was exhausting. Though she didn’t get to meet as many voters as she would have liked, she said she enjoyed the process.
“I’m very humbled by the show of support and pledge to continue to run this office to the best of my ability,” Salazar said. “You always wish you had more time to make more personal contact with voters … I focused on doing my job. I ran on my record, and it all took care of itself.”
County attorney
In other election news, first-time contender Allison Pritchard Kizer will be Lowndes County’s next prosecuting attorney. Kizer, a Republican, defeated Democrat Chuck Easley with 9,756 votes (56.88 percent) to Easley’s 7,390 votes (43.08 percent.)
Kizer replaces outgoing County Attorney Tim Hudson.
As Kizer sat at the courthouse, watching the returns roll in, she said she was tired but felt good about the campaign. As a newcomer to the political arena, she said she learned a lot in the process — chiefly, that Lowndes County is “a very big place,” which she quickly discovered when she began knocking on doors.
Though she had a Facebook page, she credited face-to-face interaction as the most critical factor in her success.
“You kind of learn as you go,” she said, reflecting on the experience. “I wouldn’t change anything. … I’m so glad today is here. We started in March, and it’s been a long road. I’m kind of glad to see today come.”
Chancery clerk
Lowndes County Chancery Clerk Lisa Younger Neese will return for her third term after defeating Republican Susan Robinson. Neese had 13,455 votes (78.06 percent), and Robinson finished with 3,778 votes (21.92 percent). There were four write-in votes.
Likewise, incumbent District Attorney Forrest Allgood returns to serve the 16th Circuit Court District of Mississippi, which includes Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Noxubee and Clay counties. Allgood, a Democrat, has held the position since 1989. He defeated Republican Steve Wallace, with 9,690 votes (57.07 percent) to Wallace’s 7,278 votes (42.86 percent).
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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