The open race for Oktibbeha County chancery clerk will have to wait until November before a winner is decided, due to a legislative resolution changing the voting dynamic across the state.
The Mississippi Legislature during the last regular session passed House Bill 467, which strips counties of any ability to hold a primary election after July 1. The bill passed unanimously in the House and Senate before being signed into law by Gov. Phil Bryant.
Election Deputy Clerk Sheryl Elmore told the SDN on Tuesday the special election for chancery clerk has been moved to Nov. 7 and all six candidates will have to run as Independents in the non-partisan race.
In the event the race goes to a runoff, the runoff election day is scheduled for Nov. 28.
After the March 3 qualifying deadline, four Democrats and two Republicans were slated to be on the ticket. Qualified Democrats are Martesa Flowers, Margaret Jordan, Sharon Livingston and Hattie Ridgel.
The Republicans on the ticket prior to the decision are Tina Fisher and Barbara Mitchell.
Livingston was named interim chancery clerk following the death of Chancery Clerk Monica Banks in September 2016.
The winner of the election will finish the remainder of Banks’ term through 2020.