It’s local election time…again

A statement that is true any time: “It’s election year in Mississippi.”

Our state has city, county, district, state or federal elections every single year.

This year, Union Countians will vote on a president, U. S. senator, U. S. representative, supreme court justice, five election commissioners and one county school board trustee.

The presidential preference primary and other party primaries will be Tuesday, March 10. If a runoff is needed it will be Tuesday, March 31.

The general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 3. If a runoff is needed after that it will be Tuesday, Nov. 24.

Locally, Union County Circuit Clerk Phyllis Stanford said all five incumbent election commissioners are expected to seek re-election.

They are Wes Creighton, District 1; Bill Azlin, District 2; Barbara Reed, District 3; Mike Beam, District 4; and Wayne Wilhite, District 5.

Candidates for election commissioner can qualify now and have up to 5 p.m. Monday, June 1.

The only school board seat to be voted on is that held by incumbent Wayne Mahon. He represents Union County School District 5, which does not have the same boundaries as Union County Supervisors District 5.

County school board candidates have only a one-month window in which to qualify, from Monday, Aug. 5 to Friday, Sept. 4.

Two congressional races will be on the ballot.

Cindy Hyde-Smith, who filled the unexpired term of Thad Cochran, is the Republican incumbent and is expected to at least face Democratic challenger Mike Espy.

Our other senator, Roger Wicker, was elected to a new six-year term in 2018.

Incumbent Republican U. S. Representative Trent Kelly will also be on the ballot.

The window in which to qualify to run for the House or Senate is small, from Jan. 2 to Jan. 10.

A race that most have little familiarity with is for seats on the state supreme court. Four justices will see their terms expire at the end of this year but only one will be on the ballot here. That’s the District 3 Place 1 seat now held by Josiah Coleman. Since this is a non-partisan race it will not be on the ballot until November.

That qualifying period is from Jan. 2 to Monday, March 2.

Of course the most-publicized race will be for president. Although incumbent Republican Donald Trump is already running, it is too early to know who will want to represent Democrats and other parties.

The delegates from Mississippi to the national convention for the Democratic and Republican parties are to cast their votes in proportion to the part primary election results.

The presidential qualifying period is from Jan. 2 to Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Stanford said absentee ballots for the primaries should be available the last week in January or first week in February.

She also wanted to again remind voters that the polling locations for some districts are changing.

The most recent is precinct 501, which has been voting at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

Now, those voters will go to Watson Grove Baptist Church at 521 E. Bankhead Street. The precinct will be renamed Watson Grove as well. This is the county’s largest precinct and the move should make more parking space available as well as space in the voting area.

Other changes have been made, mostly to move voting away from county schools. The move is partly due to school security reasons, but also because of crowding.

Voters who used to go to Myrtle School will now go to Temple Baptist Church at 1026 North St. in Myrtle.

Ingomar voters will now go to Ingomar Baptist Church at 1112 CR 90.

West Union voters will now go to Conlee Construction at 1533 Hwy. 30 West.

East Union will now go to Ellistown Baptist Church at 1006 CR 185.

Signs will be posted at the former locations for those who forget or are not aware of the changes.