The first round of voting for municipal elections will take place next week as residents of Senatobia and Coldwater head to the polls to cast ballots in party primaries Tuesday, April 6.
Polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Election Day. Senatobia will hold its primary inside the boardroom at City Hall on Front Street, while Coldwater’s will take place at the Coldwater Community Center in North Street. Voters are being asked to wear masks and socially distance at both locations.
Only registered voters in Senatobia who reside in Wards 3 and 4 need to cast ballots in the primary election since Mayor Greg Graves, Ward I Alderman Larry Simpson, Ward 2 Alderman Kevin Dear and Alderman at Large Adam Moore are running unopposed.
The Ward 3 primary includes a pair of Democrats including incumbent Allen “Vashon” Tanksley facing challenger Michael Cathey. Tanksley won the seat previously vacated by Cathey in a special election in January of 2018. Cathey resigned in November of 2017, six months into his ninth term as alderman.
Ward 3 is mainly the southeastern part of Senatobia including Southfork Subdivision and Country Club Road, but stretches into the central portion of the city and contains a corridor of neighborhoods just south of the Northwest Mississippi Community campus along Highway 51 and east of Senatobia Elementary School. It also includes a stretch of neighborhoods off northern Scott Street.
The Senatobia primary for Ward 4 also includes a pair of Democratic candidates – Carl Davis and William Kirksey. The winner will face Republican incumbent alderman Brian Hale in the general election in June.
Ward 4 is primarily the southwestern portion of the city including Meadow Oaks, Carolina Grove, Country Meadows and West Point subdivisions.
Officials at Senatobia City Hall are reminding citizens who vote in the Democratic primary will still be allowed to vote Republican in the general election.
Coldwater features two races
The Coldwater Democratic primary ballot is filled with several new faces vying for aldermen spots.
The mayor’s seat won’t be decided until the general election in June since both candidates – incumbent Jessie Edwards and challenger and current Ward I Alderman Glenn Billingsley – are running as Independent.
Because independent candidates are not affiliated with a political party, they do not participate in party primaries, placing them directly in the general election.
In the race for Ward I alderman, Tracy Webb is the lone Democratic candidate and will face Independent Keith Mack in the June general election.
The Democratic primary for the Ward 2 spot includes Carolyn Brooks and Tiffany Porter. The winner will square off against Independent candidates Patrick Carr and Tracey Coppage in the general election.
In Ward 3, incumbent Gloria Sipp and challenger Roy Lee Johnson, a pair of Democrats, will face off in the primary with the winner taking on Independent Paulette Davis in the general election.
Alice Davis is the lone Democratic candidate in Ward 4 and will advance to the general election against Independent Levon “Wayne” Hayes.
For the alderman at-large spot, Democrat Tina Montgomery-McCollough will be challenged by Independents David Todd, Travis Thomas and Regina Kimmons in the general election in June.
Here are answers to some common questions about primary elections:
When is a primary election and what will be on the ballot?
Party primaries are elections by the local political parties to nominate candidates for the general election ballot. Winners, or nominees, of the Republican primary and the Democratic primary will compete against one another in the general election, which takes place on June 8.
Do I have to register with a political party to vote in the primary?
Mississippi is an open primary state, meaning you are not required to register with a political party to vote in the primary election. But you must choose to either vote in the Republican primary or the Democratic primary during an election cycle.
How do I know which ward I live in?
The best, safest way to know in which ward you live is to call Senatobia City Hall at 662-562-4474 or Coldwater Town Hall at 662-662-7241.
