Off to the Races!
January 3, 2018 § 1 Comment
The qualifying period for judicial elections is now open, and will be until the first Tuesday in May, 2018. General election is in November, 2018.
I am hearing that there will be a significant number of positions that will come open by retirement or resignation. In my local courts, for instance, one chancery position will be open due to Judge Mason’s retirement at the end of the year, as will one circuit position due to Judge Williamson’s retirement. Another circuit court slot is being held by an appointee who must stand for election, as is one county court position. Of course, all trial judges in office stand for election this year and may face opposition.
We are not unique over here in East Mississippi. I understand that there will be openings and contested elections across the state. In one district, the 14th, all three chancellors are stepping aside (unless there is a change of heart).
There is a saying: “May you live in interesting times.” It’s a pleasant-sounding but ironic statement actually intended to be a curse, the subtlety being that interesting times are often dangerous, fraught with uncertainty, and full of often unpleasant surprises.
2018 will be an interesting time for Mississippi’s judiciary.
CHANCERY COURT CONTESTED ELECTION RESULTS
November 4, 2010 § 1 Comment
In District 7 (Tunica, Quitman, Coahoma, Tallahatchie and Leflore Counties), Place 1, Catherine Farris-Carter of Shaw opposed Tom T. Ross, Jr., of Clarksdale.
Farris-Carter 52% Elected
Ross 48%
Also in District 7, Place 3, W. M. Sanders of Greenwood and Jimmy Miller of Marks faced off for a newly-created seat.
Sanders 63% Elected
Miller 37%
District 8 (Hancock, Harrison and Stone Counties) to take the place of retiring Chancellor Margaret Alfonso. Candidates were: Jennifer Schloegel and Dara Skinner, of Gulfport; and Robert G. Harenski, William E. Tisdale and Fran Yeatts, all of Biloxi.
Schloegel 51% Elected
Skinner 13%
Harenski 11%
Tisdale 21%
Yeatts 3%
In District 10 (Forrest, Lamar, Pearl River and Perry Counties), for Place 2, to replace Judge Sebe Dale. The candidates were Dawn H. Beam of Sumrall, Scott Phillips of Columbia, and Aaron L. Russell of Carriere.
Beam 47% Runoff
Phillips 36% Runoff
Russell 17%
In District 10 (Forrest, Lamar, Pearl River and Perry Counties), to replace deceased Judge James H. Thomas, write-in.
I learned from an unofficial but well-placed source that Judge Thomas actually received 54% of the vote, and, as a result, Governor Barbour will appoint a replacement.
In District 13 (Covington, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Simpson, and Smith Counties), incumbent Judge Larry Buffington of Collins faced opponents Douglas MacArthur Magee of Mendenhall and David Shoemake of Collins.
Buffington 44% Runoff
Magee 11%
Shoemake 45% Runoff
In District 18 (Benton, Calhoun, Lafayette, Marshall and Tippah Counties), incumbent Judge Edwin H. Roberts, Jr. was opposed by Helen Kennedy Robinson of Oxford.
Roberts 69% Elected
Robinson 31%
A comprehensive recap of all the election results is here.
The Better Chancery Practice Blog 