Shank Phelps will be sheriff in Oktibbeha County come January, and JoHelen Walker will be the tax assessor/collector.
Phelps, a Republican serving as District 1 constable, bested Democrat John Rice by a margin of 6,350 (50.6%) to 5,986 (47.7%) in Tuesday’s general election. Phelps will replace Sheriff Steve Gladney, who is retiring after three terms.
Rice, who lost to Gladney in 2019, was in the courthouse annex Tuesday night while votes were being tallied. He declined to comment to The Dispatch.
Phelps did not return calls or messages for comment by press time.
Tax assessor/collector
Walker, a Democrat, defeated Republican John Montgomery by a margin of 6,517 (51.9%) to 5,740 (45.8%). She will replace Allen Morgan, who did not run for reelection.
Walker has worked 12 years as one of Morgan’s deputies.
“I plan to take the office forward with accountability,” Walker said. “I will be transparent, have an open-door policy and help citizens understand what’s going on … and follow the rules and regulations with integrity and honor. Thank you to the citizens … for believing in me and trusting me.”
Montgomery, who is serving his third term as District 1 supervisor, congratulated Walker on her victory.
“I wish her well,” he told The Dispatch. “It was a very good race, and I think she’ll do a good job in the position.”
Supervisor races
Republican Ben Carver will take Montgomery’s place as District 1 supervisor.
On Tuesday, he defeated Democrat Erik Young by a margin of 1,486 votes (54.5%) to 1,184 (43.5%).
Carver serves now as Ward 1 alderman for Starkville. He will resign that position, and the city will call a special election to replace him.
In District 5, incumbent Democrat Joe Williams easily won reelection with 1,695 votes (67.2%). Republican Les Lindley received 751 (29.8%).
Other races
Incumbent Democrat Marty Haug won a third term as District 3 justice court judge, edging out Republican challenger Brian Michael Lindner.
Haug received 1,646 votes (51.2%) to Lindner’s 1,498 (46.6%).
In the two competitive constable races, Republican Kenneth Watkins squeezed out a victory in District 1, and incumbent Republican James Lindsey easily won reelection.
Watkins defeated Democrat William Ford by a margin of 2,330 votes (49%) to 2,231 (47%). Lindsey beat Democratic challenger Ronald Hannah by a margin of 1,904 votes (59.2%) to 1,189 (37%).
More than 300 affidavits remain to be processed Wednesday across all races, but there likely aren’t enough to change the results of any race.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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