2017 is another major election year in Tallahatchie County, and on Tuesday the first hat was tossed into the ring for municipal office.
Tutwiler Town Clerk Alma Harris said John T. Jones, 44, of 522 Hopson St., Tutwiler, qualified at 9 a.m. as a Democrat for mayor, a position presently held by Democrat Nichole Harris.
Officially, Monday was the first day candidates could qualify for municipal office. However, with most government offices closed in observance of the New Year’s holiday, Tuesday became the de facto start of the two-month qualifying period.
Other municipal clerks in Tallahatchie County reported no qualifiers as of late afternoon Tuesday.
Prospective candidates for municipal office have until 5 p.m. on Friday, March 3, to file qualifying papers and to pay any required qualifying fees.
Primary election day for municipal offices is May 2. General election day is June 6. A new four-year term for municipal officials begins on Monday, July 3.
Up for grabs in this year’s municipal elections are the offices of mayor and town alderman/city commissioner, as well as political party executive committee seats.
Anyone desiring to qualify to seek municipal office as a party candidate, such as Democrat or Republican, may do so by completing and filing with the appropriate municipal clerk’s office, a “Qualifying Statement of Intent,” and paying a $10 filing fee to their local town or city clerk.
Independent candidates do not have to pay a filing fee, but they must file a petition form bearing the signatures of a prescribed number of registered voters. The number varies based on population.
In Charleston and Tutwiler, independent candidates for the office of mayor must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 50 qualified voters of the city or town.
Independent candidates for all municipal governing boards in Tallahatchie County — aldermen and commissioners — as well as independent candidates for mayor of Glendora, Sumner and Webb, must present a petition with the signatures of at least 15 qualified voters of their respective ward (if running for alderman) or town (if seeking the mayor’s position).
Qualifying statements and properly formatted candidate petition forms are available at municipal clerk offices.
These forms, as well as publications such as the “2017 Elections Calendar,” the “Municipal Election Handbook” and the “2017 Candidate Qualifying Guide,” also are available for download from the website of the Secretary of State’s Office at www.sos.ms.gov/elections.
In other election news:
• Also appearing on this year’s ballot for some voters are races for school board trustee in Education District 2 (a seat on the West Tallahatchie School District Board of Trustees) and Education District 7 (a spot on the East Tallahatchie School District Board of Trustees).
Qualifying for school positions does not begin until Aug. 9, and the qualifying deadline is Sept. 8.
School board races will appear on ballots Nov. 7.
