Once the minute hand on the clock struck 5 p.m. Friday, March 1, there were sounds of laughter and good cheer in the Coahoma County Circuit Clerk’s Office in the courthouse in Clarksdale.
Not only were staff members celebrating the end of another busy election filing season, but they were also happy with the fact that nobody had filed to challenge incumbent Circuit Clerk Demetria Jackson by Friday’s deadline.
While Jackson can breathe a sigh of relief, that wasn’t the case for a county supervisor, justice court judge and constable as all three had opponents file against them during the final hours of election filing season.
Incumbent county supervisor Johnny Newson, 65, will face a challenge from 48-year-old Darron “Gucci” Griffin in the Democratic primary in August. The two will be contesting the right to represent District Four on the Coahoma County Board of Supervisors.
With Griffin’s inclusion, all five current county supervisors will face opposition in the Democratic primary this year.
Also facing opposition will be current Justice Court Judge for the Southern District, 73-year-old Jesse Burton, who had Clarksdale’s current Municipal Court Judge Derek D. Hopson, Sr., 47, file against him during the final 30 minutes before Friday’s deadline.
Current constable for the Northern District, 59-year-old John Rybolt III will face a challenge from 46-year-old Solomon Gray, who also filed on Friday.
There will also be contested races for the state Senate seats representing Coahoma County.
Sen. Robert Jackson will face a challenge from Kimberlyn Seals, the daughter of Clarksdale city commissioner Ed Seals, in the Democratic primary, with the winner facing Independent candidate Clara Davis Dawkins in the November General Election.
And Sen. Derrick Simmons will face Independent candidate Paul D. Pecou in November for the District 12 Senate seat.
While current state House of Representative Orlando W. Paden will not face any opposition this year, Cedric “Bam Bam” Burnett, who represents a portion of Coahoma County, will. Christopher Thomas and Marilyn L. Young will both run against him in the Democratic primary.
The primary election will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
The winners of the primary will advance to the November general election, which will be held Nov. 5.
Those who filed their candidacy papers are:
Sheriff: Incumbent Charles Jones, Democrat, 45, of Park Center Drive in Clarksdale; Stacy Lester, Democrat, 44, of Ohio Avenue in Clarksdale; and Mario Magsby, Sr., 42, Democrat, of Magsby Road in Clarksdale.
Chancery Clerk: Incumbent Carolyn Parham, Democrat, 59, of Jackson Avenue in Clarksdale; and Alice Foster, Democrat, 52, of Sunflower River Road in Clarksdale.
Circuit Clerk: Incumbent Demetria Jackson, Democrat, 49, of Lyon Avenue in Clarksdale.
Coroner: Incumbent Scotty A. Meredith, Democrat, 56, of East Second Street in Clarksdale.
County Prosecutor: Incumbent John Sherman, Democrat, 55, of Barry Street in Lyon.
Tax Assessor/Collector: Ann Marie Williams, Democrat, 50, of Mullens-Williams Road in Lyon; and Rotosca Shanks Harris, 46, of Killebrew Street in Lyon.
County Supervisor (District 1): Incumbent Paul Pearson, Democrat, 64, of Pearson Road in Lyon; and Stanley Lynom, Democrat, 65, of Perry Drive in Lyon.
County Supervisor (District 2): Incumbent Pat Davis, Jr., Democrat, 57, of Farrell Road in Clarksdale; and Jamarlon Fair, Democrat, 33, of Washington Street in Friars Point.
County Supervisor (District 3): Incumbent Derrell Washington, Democrat, 39, of Mosley Street in Jonestown; and Travis Demond Haggan, Democrat, 44, of Barnes Avenue in Clarksdale.
County Supervisor (District 4): Incumbent Johnny Newson, Democrat, 65, of Andrews Street in Clarksdale; and Darron “Gucci” Griffin, Democrat, 48, of Peacock Street in Clarksdale.
County Supervisor (District 5): Incumbent Will Young, Democrat, 48, of Young Road in Clarksdale; Shirley H. Fair, Democrat, 64, of Sunflower Avenue in Clarksdale; Mary Frances Dear-Moton, Democrat, 64, of Monroe Avenue in Clarksdale; and Roosevelt Lee, Jr., Democrat, 71, of Ford Street in Clarksdale.
County Surveyor: Incumbent Terry E. Smith, Democrat, 54, of Salmon Road in Coahoma.
District Attorney (District 11): Incumbent Brenda F. Mitchell, Democrat.
Justice Court Judge (Northern District): Incumbent A. Burks Rogers, Democrat, 37, of Haney Lane in Clarksdale.
Justice Court Judge (Southern District): Incumbent Jesse Burton, Democrat, 73, of Jonestown Claremont Road in Clarksdale; and Derek D. Hopson, Sr., Democrat, 47, of Martin Luther King Drive in Clarksdale.
Constable (Northern District): Incumbent John R. Rybolt, III, Democrat, 59, of Bennett Road in Clarksdale; and Solomon Gray, Democrat, 46, of Vincent Street in Clarksdale.
Constable (Southern District): Incumbent Floyd Williams, Democrat, 63, of Page Avenue in Clarksdale.
State Senate (District 11): Incumbent Robert L. Jackson, Democrat; Kimberlyn Seals, Democrat; and Clara Davis Dawkins, Independent.
State Senate (District 12): Incumbent Derrick T. Simmons, Democrat; and Paul D. Pecou, Independent.
State Representative (District 9): Incumbent Cedric “Bam Bam” Burnett, Democrat; Christopher Thomas, Democrat; and Marilyn L. Young, Democrat.
State Representative (District 26): Incumbent Orlando W. Paden, Democrat.
