Roses and thorns: 4/11/21
A rose to all the candidates in Tuesday’s municipal primary elections. Five of 11 contested primary elections in Columbus, Starkville and West Point have been decided. Those winning candidates Jacqueline DiCicco (Ward 6 Columbus city Council), Roy A. Perkins (Ward 6 Starkville alderman), Leta Turner (West Point Ward 1 selectman), Ken Poole (West Point Ward 3 selectman) and Jasper Pittman (West Point Ward 5 selectman) have no opponents in the June 8 general election and take office in July. Many of the other contested seats are too close to call during an election where turnout was alarmingly low. We urge citizens who did not vote Tuesday to turn out for the next election either the possible runoffs to decide the primary and certainly in the June 8 general election. Every vote counts, as we saw in this week’s primary.
Bobo leads West Point mayor’s race with absentees still being processed
Ken Poole
WEST POINT Only one of West Point’s four Democratic primary races had been settled Tuesday evening due to a discrepancy in the absentee vote tallies.
A computer readout of 594 absentee votes did not match the number of paper ballots counted, leaving election officials tediously looking to resolve the issue heading into midnight today.
With enough absentee votes in each ward to alter the outcome, the winner in the mayoral primary and selectmen races in Wards 1 and Ward 5 had yet to be determined.
Rod Bobo
Only in Ward 3, where incumbent Ken Poole held a 122-vote lead over challenger Jonas Robinson with 112 absentee votes outstanding, did the outcome appear clear, although Democratic Party coordinator Jeanatta Edwards said an unknown number of affidavit ballots remained to be counted in that race as well.
Our View: Today’s vote is consequential; make your voice heard
Today, Golden Triangle voters have the opportunity to participate in our nation’s most intimate form of self-government.
Although municipal elections rarely generate the interest and passion typically found in state and national elections, the decisions made in today’s primary elections and in the June general election often have more direct impact on the lives of voters than any other election.
The people chosen for office will be entrusted with how our cities operate – everything from taxes to police and fire to streets to public parks, zoning and a host of other decisions that have a direct bearing on the lives of citizens. There is nothing abstract about the roles these officials will play over the next four years. This is governing at its most basic level.
Turner, Poole submit late finance reports in West Point
By Dispatch Staff Report 3 hours ago
WEST POINT A pair of selectmen incumbents turned in their pre-primary campaign finance reports with the city clerk’s office Monday, six days after the deadline but a day before primary voters went to the ballot.
Candidates in municipal races running in party primaries were required to file campaign finance primary pre-election reports by 5 p.m. March 30. Those reports must include the totals a candidate took in and spent, as well as itemize, or identify, each contribution or disbursement of more than $200. Those $200 or less can be considered non-itemized and are not required to be identified.