SOUTHAVEN, Miss.–Greg Davis not only still faces legal troubles and possibly tens of thousands of dollars to pay back to the taxpayers in Southaven, he is now out of a job. After unofficial results came in, newbie Republican Darren Musselwhite was declared the winner Tuesday. After a number of rounds in court with misspending allegations and orders to payback from the state auditor, many wonder if Davis, mayor for four terms, will have a political future.
In Tupelo, Mayor Jack Reed, Jr. decided not to run again and Jason Shelton will become the first Democrat mayor in 28 years, according to WTVA, who says he got 59 percent of the vote to Republican Fred Pitts 41 percent.
In Canton Arnel Bolden easily defeated Republican challenger Chip Matthews. Bolden will replace outgoing one-term mayor Dr. William Truly, defeated soundly in the primary. Canton’s municipal election was noteworthy for unusual happenings, including numerous accusations of voter fraud, the arrest of an aldrerman during the vote count, the arrest of a disorderly election commissioner and the paper jam of a voting machine with a ballot from the 2012 presidential election.
In Greenwood, ex-mayor Sherail Perkins lost another bid to get back in office, losing to incumbent Carolyn McAdams.
Oxford kept status quo and in Madison there were no municipal elections because after the primaries everyone was running unopposed.
In Pascagoula, voters wiped the slate clean, with an entirely new city council to start the next term and new mayor Jim Blevins. Biloxi returned five-term Mayor A.J. Holloway to office.
In Hattiesburg it’s still too close to call between incumbent Democrat Mayor Johnny Dupree, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for governor two years ago, and challenger David Ware. Just 33 votes separated them when they went to bed last night and today 115 absentee ballots will be counted to determine the winner.
In Laurel, Johnny McGee wins the mayoral election.
In Meridian, Democrat Percy Bland defeated Republican incumbent Chari Berry, despite an economic announcement this week that CertainTeed would return to the city, bringing 120 plus jobs. Meridian has suffered from a growing crime problem in recent years, but at the same time has seen positive economic development.
Brookhaven has elected Republican Joe Cox as mayor. The city has also voted to legalize the sale of liquor, joining other communities who have recently voted in favor of alcohol sales.
In Jackson, after an endorsement this week from rapper Ludacris, Ward 2 Councilman Chokwe Lumumba will become the capital city’s new mayor, getting 85 percent of the vote over three independent challengers. Lumumba defeated Democrat challenger Jonathan Lee in the primary run-off and incumbent Harvey Johnson in the initial primary.
