STARKVILLE — With the Starkville runoff and general elections set to take place over the next few weeks, officials at City Hall are doing everything they can to make sure the process runs smoothly.
But they still have work to do.
City Clerk Markeeta Outlaw on Friday said election officials are still working to complete absentee ballots for the upcoming elections, but she hopes to have them ready within the next few days.
“If we can get our absentee ballot system set up by midweek next week, by Wednesday or so, we”re going to have absentee ballots where they can come in hopefully Wednesday, Thursday and Friday,” Outlaw said. “Hopefully before then, but by Thursday and Friday they should be ready.”
City Hall also will be open Saturday, May 16, from 8 a.m. to noon for citizens to cast absentee ballots.
The runoff election on May 19 will feature Matt Cox and Parker Wiseman in the race for the Democratic mayoral bid. During the Democratic primary on May 5, Cox secured 1,430 votes, or 42.85 percent, compared to Wiseman”s total of 1,250 votes, or 37.46 percent. Incumbent Mayor Dan Camp only received 652 votes in the Democratic primary, or 19.54 percent, and was eliminated from the race.
The winner of the runoff between Cox and Wiseman will face Republican Marnita Henderson in the general election on June 2.
The only other runoff election will be in the race for the Ward 1 alderman seat. Current Ward 1 Alderman Sumner Davis is not running for re-election, but Democrats Mark Duncan and Corey Bagwell will square off in the runoff election May 19.
During the Democratic primary on May 5, Bagwell received 281 votes, or 41.69 percent, while Duncan garnered 249 votes, or 36.94 percent. The only other Democrat in the primary, Juliette Weaver-Reese, was eliminated from the race after receiving only 135 votes in the primary.
The winner of the runoff between Duncan and Bagwell will face Republican Ben Carver and Independent Helen Eaves in the general election.
Other races for seats on the Board of Aldermen will match up candidates in wards 2, 3, 4 and 5.
In Ward 2, incumbent Alderman Rodney Lincoln, a Republican, will face Democratic challenger Sandra Sistrunk in the general election.
In Ward 3, where current Alderman P.C. “Mac” McLaurin is not running for re-election, Democrat John Gaskin and Republican Eric Parker have stepped up to fill McLaurin”s seat.
In Ward 4, John Michael VanHorn won the Republican primary over Nick Papas. VanHorn will face incumbent Alderman Richard Corey, a Democrat, in the general election.
For the Ward 5 alderman seat, where incumbent Matt Cox opted against re-election to run for mayor, Democrat Jeremiah Dumas will face Republican Mike Allen in the general election. Dumas defeated Scott Maynard in the Democratic primary.
In Ward 6, Alderman and Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins is running uncontested for re-election. Perkins has been an alderman for 16 years and has never once been officially challenged in an election, he said.
The race for the alderman seat in Ward 7 already is over as Henry Vaughn Sr. won the Democratic primary over incumbent Janette Self. With no Republicans in the Ward 7 race, Vaughn has secured a seat on the board.
Roughly 25 percent of registered voters in Starkville turned out for the primary election on May 5, which Outlaw says was “relatively low.”
“We”re usually around 30 or 31 percent; 35 percent is high, but 25 percent is relatively low,” Outlaw said.
Outlaw and other city officials hope to see a high turnout for the runoff elections on May 19 and the general election two weeks later.
“We encourage the citizens to take an active part in local government — to get out and vote,” Outlaw said.
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