Vice President Kamala Harris easily won in Coahoma County, with locals Rachel Fowler Holmes and Margaret Jordan-Walker apparently winning the Coahoma County School District seats in Tuesday’s General Election.
The big surprise was Democrat and first-time candidate Ty Pinkins besting long-time Republican incumbent Roger Wicker in the race for U.S. Senator, 3,940 to 1,660.
And while Pinkins did well in the Delta, The Associated Press called the state-wide race for Wicker at about 9:30 p.m., with 62 percent of the precincts reporting.
In the Presidential race, Harris beat Republican Donald Trump 4,088 to 1,539, with Independent Robert F. Kennedy, who pulled out of the president's race after statewide ballots were printed, getting 33 votes in Coahoma County.
Trump was expected to carry Mississippi and get all six Electorial College votes and did.
At 10 p.m. Tuesday night Trump had 214 of the 270 Electorial College votes he needed to claim the Presidency. Harris had 179. Only the West Coast numbers were still unaccounted for out at that time. Georgia and Pennsylvania were leaning toward Trump at that time.
And voters apparently wanted change on the Coahoma County School Board as incumbents in District 3 and District 4 races were apparently defeated using Tuesday night's totals.
The Coahoma County School Board race saw Rachel Fowler-Holmes get 345 votes to top incumbent Rico Smith, who got 185 votes and contender Tim Williams with 181 votes. The trio was seeking the District 3 school board trustee spot.
The Coahoma County School Board Dist. 4 race saw Margaret Jordan Walker beat Milroy Harris, 137 to 76.
Longtime Democratic U.S. House of Representative Bennie Thompson handily defeated Republican challenger Ron Eller, 4,304 to 1,404.
“This was the biggest turnout we have had in years,” said Coahoma County Election Commission Chairman Andrew Thompson. “We had 1,117 absentee ballots, which was a record for us.”
Election Day 2024 had rain forecast, but it never really arrived, allowing voters to get to the polls.
“We had a glitch with one machine, but we got it covered and corrected,” said Thompson. “I think that shows the training and experience we have from the people working the polls and in the Circuit Clerk’s office. Things went surprisingly smooth considering all the ballots cast.”
Polls closed at 7 p.m. and the last box, which as usual was Friars Point, came in at 8:42 p.m.
Election totals were handed out to candidates and the press at 8:50 p.m.
Complete election results will be published in Thursdays’ Clarksdale Press Register.
Election results will be formally canvassed by the Coahoma County Board of Supervisors at their next meeting at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 20. Those numbers are then submitted to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office for registration.
Coahoma County was not the only county in the state with a large turnout.
As of 3:30 p.m., the Secretary of State's Office has received numerous reports of high traffic at polls across the state via their Elections Hotline.
The following minor glitches were reported:
• Campaign paraphernalia being worn in some precincts.
• Voting machines temporarily being down.
• A late-opening precinct.
• User error operating ExpressVote machines.
Polls close at 7 p.m., but any voter in line at 7 p.m. was legally entitled to cast a ballot. County election officials then began tabulating ballots when the last ballot was cast.
Problems at the polls observed by State observers or otherwise reported to Elections Division were referred to the authorities, including the Attorney General’s Office or the appropriate District Attorney’s Office.
For questions or to report issues, call the Elections Division at (800) 829-6786, email ElectionsAnswers@sos.ms.gov, or visit YallVote.ms.
