A judge will decide if Scotty Meredith can be on the Clarksdale ballot as a candidate for mayor and the court could decide as soon as March 18.
Judge Andrew Howorth will hear arguments from attorney’s for incumbent Mayor Chuck Espy and challenger Meredith at 9 a.m. in Coahoma County Circuit Court on the validity of Meredith’s claim that he is a resident of the City of Clarksdale.
The Clarksdale Democratic Executive Committee denied candidate Meredith a spot on the ballot and Meredith filed suit last week seeking to remain in the race.
“I am a candidate for Mayor,” said Meredith. “I am actively campaigning for the office.”
Incumbent Mayor Chuck Espy brought a petition to the Democratic Executive Committee challenging the residency of Meredith. The hearing was held Feb. 16 with the DEC ruling Meredith had not lived in the city limits of Clarksdale for two years.
Lawyers for both men met with Judge Howorth on Monday and were submitted questions about that hearing and key points in case by the Clarksdale Press Register. Only Meredith’s attorney responded to the questions before deadline Wednesday.
“We plan to present a series of witnesses that have seen Mr. Meredith and his family in their home in the city limits of Clarksdale,” said Meredith’s attorney Jamie F. Lee. “We also plan to present photos and documentation showing he lived there.”
In filing paperwork to get on the ballot this spring Meredith listed his address at 128 Park Circle in West Clarksdale. Espy listed his address as 1045 Ritchie Street in Southeast Clarksdale.
Meredith has also lived at his funeral home at 314 E. Second Street after his home on Desoto Lake flooded. Court documents obtained by the Clarksdale Press Register point to Espy’s claim that Meredith lived or resided on Desoto Lake – specifically 116 Meredith/Alligator Road – within the past two years.
All four city commissioners’ posts and the Mayor’s office are up for election and qualifying opened Jan. 4 and closed at 5 p.m. sharp, on Friday, Feb. 5. Primary elections, which are traditionally held in June, will be Tuesday, April 6 this year with the primary runoff, if needed, April 27. The General Election will be held Tuesday, June 8.
“There is a great deal of case law that states a person’s domicile is the place the person lives with intent to remain indefinitely,” said Lee. “We feel we can show Mr. Meredith has lived in the city limits of Clarksdale since 2018.”
A new opinion by the Mississippi Attorney General just two days before the final qualifying day Feb. 5 expanded the scope of the state law to municipalities saying a candidate must live in the ward in which they are seeking office.
Espy and Meredith are both running as Democrats. Cassandra Wilson is running as an Independent. Throwing Meredith out of the race would make Espy, a heavy favorite to win his second term as Clarksdale’s Mayor.
Papers and even a copy of Meredith’s Mississippi Driver’s License and car tag were presented to the City Democratic Committee.
The Clarksdale Municipal Democratic Committee is made up of:
Gregory Neely, Ward 1.
Alfred Allen, Ward 2.
Rena Butler, Ward 3.
Sherley Fields, Ward 4.
Contesting residency is not new to Clarksdale and accusations of exactly where a candidate “stays” were part of the 2017 campaign when Ward 4 Commissioner Ed Seals challenged the residency of Darron “Gucci” Griffin.
The court has ruled that “a person’s domicile in election matters is the place where he has his true, fixed, permanent home and principal establishment, and to which whenever he is absent, he has intention of returning.”
Homestead exemption, utility bills, where they park their vehicle at night and the statement of neighbors can be used to establish residency.
The suit filed by Meredith was followed by direction to the city not to print ballots until the issue is resolved. City Clerk Cathy Clark had planned to send ballot to the printer on Feb. 22.
This spring’s Clarksdale Municipal Election will be conducted by the city. This year absentee and affidavit ballots will be counted up to five days after the election and the election will be certified at that time.
The Mayor of Clarksdale is paid $86,421 a year, plus expenses. Commissioners get $26,650 annually, plus expenses.
Questions or concerns about voting issues, 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.
Qualifications vary from office to office but the main requirements are to be a resident and qualified voter from the ward, district or county they plan to represent. Candidates may not have been convicted of a federal crime or certain Mississippi crimes defined as felonies punishable by incarceration in a state penitentiary, unless they have received a full pardon. They also may not be convicted of a crime in another state that is considered a felony under Mississippi law.
Candidates cannot have been legally declared mentally incompetent.
Filing false information about a voter’s true residency and knowingly voting in an incorrect ward can be a felony.
Candidates must fill out a statement of economic interest online within 15 days of qualifying with the Secretary of State and routinely throughout the year. The next campaign finance report deadlines are March 30, April 20, and June 1 for any contribution over $200. Failure to file these reports can result in fines and possible removal from office.
For additional voter information, visit yallvote.ms.
Where They Live
The following are candidates for city offices and the addresses they listed on city election documents:
• Chuck Espy, of 1045 Ritchie.
• Scotty Meredith, of 1128 Park Circle.
• Cassandra Wilson, of 445 Barnes.
• Bo Plunk, of 1514 Herrin.
• Ray Sykes, of 939 Maple.
• George Hines, of 147 Ritch.
• Ken Murphey, of 340 Clark.
• Jeff Simmons, of 301 Delta.
• Buster Moton, of 201 Monroe.
• Willie Turner, of 2014 Sunflower.
• Greg Hoskins, of 1700 N. Cove.
•Ed Seals, of 1033 Ritchie Ave.
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