Fifth Week of Election Qualification Period Seeks Just One New Candidate

Editor’s Note: Hottytoddy.com will run an update each Monday (unless a holiday) until March 1 on who qualifies for local elections and on local citizens who qualify for state elections.

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

The fifth week of the qualification period for Lafayette County elections was a slow one with just one person tossing their hat into the already highly contested District 3 supervisor race.

Scott Michael, owner of Rooster’s Blues House, became the seventh person to qualify to run in District 3. He joins incumbent David Rikard (R), Cynthia Parham (D), Dale Timothy Gordon (D), Alonzo Hilliard, (D), Davii Jo Chinault, (R) and Independent Lakeisha Borum.

Since Jan. 2, seven people have also qualified to run for District 2 supervisors. Those candidates are Joshua McGlawn (D), Larry Gillespie (R), J.E. Ed Neilson, (D), Ava Halon Bonds Gossett, (D) Max Hill, (D), Leslie Spense, (D) and Darryl L. Booker, (D).

Current District 2 Supervisor Jeff Busby announced he won’t be seeking re-election but instead is running for Circuit Court Clerk unopposed as of Monday.

District 1 Supervisor Kevin Frye, a Democrat, announced he would not be running to retain his supervisor seat and qualified to run for Mississippi Senate District 9. Republican Nicole Boyd announced her intent to run for District 9 senator. Incumbent Sen. Gray Tollison announced he would not be seeking re-election.

Only one person, Brent Larson, has qualified to run for Frye’s District 1 seat as of Monday.

District 4 Supervisor Chad McLarty, (D), has one opponent thus far with Scott Allen, (D) qualifying to run against him in the primaries. Incumbent District 5 Supervisor Mike Roberts (D) and Johnny Mike Fortner (R) qualified to run for District 5 supervisor.

The sheriff race remains at three candidates – Oxford Police Chief Joey East, Raymond Westley Sides and Jeffrey Clinton South. East and Sides qualified as Democrats while South qualified as an Independent.

Running unopposed so far in other races are incumbents Chancery Clerk Sherry Wall, Tax Collector/Assessor Sylvia Baker, County Attorney Jay Chain, Coroner Rocky Kennedy; Justice Court Judges, Johnny Wayne McLarty, Southern District and Mickey Avent, Central District; and Constables, Greg “Spankey” Pettis, Northern District, Jackie Theobald, Southern and Jody Mayfield, Central.

Attorney Andy Arant Jr. (R) and Emily Smathers Ratliff (R) are running against Justice Court Judge Northern District Democrat incumbent Carolyn Bell.

In the House of Representatives, Republican incumbents Steve Massengill, District 13, and Charles Beckett, District 23, have qualified to seek re-election with no opponents as of Monday. District 10 Rep. Nolan Mettetal announced he is retiring. Republican Brady Williamson has qualified to run for the District 10 seat.

Oxford’s District 12 Rep. Jay Hughes is running for lieutenant governor. Oxford attorney Tiffany Kilpatrick has qualified to run as a Democrat for the District 12 seat against Republican Clay Deweese.

The qualifying deadline in Mississippi is March 1. Party primaries are in August, and the general election is in November.