It’s the political season and folks are beginning to talk about candidates and the future of Coahoma County.
It is important stuff and whether you realize it or not, who is elected this summer will make a big difference in your life and your town and your county for years to come.
Let me ask you five questions:
• Who is your supervisor and who is running against them?
• What does the Chancery Clerk do?
• What has your sheriff done to stop drugs, violence and gangs in your community?
• Where do you vote?
• What day do you vote?
Supervisors
We have already started getting phone calls from people wanting to know who their supervisor is and who is running against them. If they are subscribers we gladly find out where they live and tell them the candidates. If they are not a subscriber we still help them figure it out.
And they always ask me who is the best candidate.
There are currently 16 candidates running for five supervisor post. I’ve only lived here four years and I hope you know these people better than I do.
These men spend millions of dollars each year to make your county better.
Chancery Clerk
The chancery clerk is responsible for attending all sessions of chancery court and keeping all minute books and records, judges orders and proceedings of the Chancery Court. They must record and preserve all land records. The clerk also receives all bills, petitions, motions, accounts, inventories and other papers and reports on behalf of the county. The chancery clerk serves as clerk for the board of supervisors and must attend all board meetings and record the minutes of the board. The clerk is also responsible for preparing the docket of claims. The claims docket is a list of all bills or financial demands against the county.
The chancery clerk is also the official auditor of the county.
It’s a big job and they better know what they are doing. On the job training should come before they get elected. Incompetent chancery clerks waste taxpayer dollars and invite theft and corruption.
Sheriff
What has our sheriff done to curtail crime in Coahoma County?
I live in the city and typically call police.
But the Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in Coahoma County and all officers, including police, are expected to follow his orders.
So is your property safe at night? Are there drugs in your community? When you call them, do deputies show up and take care of business? Are those deputies polite and professional? Have those deputies solved crimes for you over the past four years?
Safety is the Number One concern for all good people. If you don’t get this vote right, you are in trouble when things go wrong.
The Precinct
I vote at the Fire Station.
You can find out your precinct by calling Circuit Clerk Demetria Jackson at 662-624-3014.
Simply tell her your address.
She can also tell if you are a registered voter, because you have to be on the voter rolls to vote. If you have not voted at least once during the last two presidential elections, you may not be a qualified voter.
Tuesday August 8
August 8 is Party Primary Election Day in Mississippi and polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
You must tell poll workers if you want to vote in the Democratic Primary or Republican Primary.
If you have questions about anything at the polls, ask a poll worker.
Questions or concerns about voting issues, candidate residency, policy and procedure for any election should be directed to the Secretary of State’s office at (601) 359-1350.
Questions or concerns about candidate qualifications, ethics and conduct while in office should be directed to the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Division at (601) 359-4258.
Floyd Ingram is the Editor of your Clarksdale Press Register. He has been voting since 1978 and doesn’t miss a chance to make this country, this state and this county great. Call him at 662-627-2201 with you questions or concerns.
