Ballots are set for the Senatobia primary election when voters begin deciding which candidates will lead the city the next four years.
The primary is set for Tuesday, April 1, when polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Senatobia citizens who reside in Wards 1 and 2 can cast ballots at the municipal courtroom at 131 North Front Street, while Ward 3 and 4 residents vote in the city hall boardroom at 133 North Front.
Absentee voting is currently underway at city hall during normal weekday office hours. City hall will be open Saturday, March 29 from 8 a.m. until noon, which is the last day to vote absentee.
In primary races featuring more than two candidates, an aspirant is required to earn 50 percent overall plus one vote to avoid a runoff between the top two vote-getters Tuesday, April 22. The general election is set for Tuesday, June 3.
Since Mississippi is an open primary state, you are not required to register with a political party to vote in the primary election however you must choose to either vote Republican or Democrat.
For example, residents of Ward 3 in Senatobia can choose to vote in the Republican primary for mayor or the Democratic primary for alderman. You will not be permitted to vote in both.
How you vote in the primary does not affect how you vote in the general election. In other words, you can vote for a Democratic candidate in the primary and still vote Republican in the general election.
The mayor’s race features incumbent Greg Graves, who has served as mayor since October 2018, and challenger Penny Payne-Byrd. The winner will face Elliott Bobo (D) in the general election.
The Ward 2 alderman spot features a pair of Republican candidates – Richard Storey and Don Williams – who are challenging incumbent Kevin Dear in the primary. Dear is seeking a third term in office.
In Ward 3, incumbent Ward 3 aldermen Allen “Vashon” Tanksley (D), who is also seeking a third consecutive term is being challenged by Michael Cathey (D).
Three Republican candidates will battle it out in the Ward 4 primary for the right to face Carl Davis (D) in the general election. They include Mitch Bryant, Chris McConnell and Jimmie Lee Neal. The seat is opened up after incumbent Brian Hale chose not to seek reelection.
