Defeats incumbent Will Young in close Democratic primary runoff election.
Roosevelt Lee has been elected as the District 5 representative for the Coahoma County Board of Supervisors with his four-year term set to begin Jan. 1, 2020.
Lee defeated incumbent Will Young in the Democratic primary runoff Tuesday 355 (51.67 percent) to 331 (48.18) with one write-in vote (0.15 percent). All four precincts in Rena Lara, Bobo, Roundaway and the Coahoma County Expo Center in Clarksdale along with the absentee ballots were counted Tuesday night. The affidavits were counted this morning. No other candidates are running for the seat, so the Democratic nominee will automatically be the winner.
Lee said the support he has received is “overwhelming.”
“I feel good,” Lee said. “I want to be a servant for the people. Infrastructure is going to be my first priority.”
Young did not return a message asking for comment Tuesday night.
Lee was the only challenger to be elected to the Board of Supervisors. District 1 Supervisor Paul Pearson, District 2 Supervisor Pat Davis, District 3 Supervisor Derrell Washington and District 4 Supervisor Johnny Newson will all retain their seats.
Four candidates originally ran for the seat in the Aug. 6 election. Young received 331 votes (31.22 percent) in the Aug. 6 election, while Lee came in second with 267 votes (25.18 percent). Shirley Fair finished in third place with 257 votes (24.24 percent). Dr. Mary Frances Dear-Moton finished fourth in that race with 205 votes (19.33 percent).
Fair requested all ballot boxes be canvassed from the Aug. 6 election. The boxes have been canvassed and Coahoma County Democratic Party chair Ray Sykes said a decision on what will happen next should be announced by the end of the week.
State elections
Tate Reeves has been declared the Republican nominee for the Mississippi governor. He received 90 votes (68.70 percent) to his opponent Bill Waller Jr.’s 41 votes (31.30 percent) in Coahoma County during Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff with all 18 precincts and the absentee ballots counted.
Jim Hood is the Democratic nominee for governor.
Lynn Fitch received 67 votes (57.26 percent) to Andy Taggart’s 50 votes (42.74 percent) during the Republican primary runoff in Coahoma County for attorney general with all 18 precincts and the absentee ballots counted.
John Caldwell received 72 votes (63.16 percent) to Geoffrey O. Yoste’s 42 votes (36.84 percent) during the Republican primary runoff in Coahoma County for the Northern Transportation District seat with all 18 precincts and the absentee ballots counted.
