Johnny Moore’s hearing to appeal the results of the mayoral runoff election will be held Tuesday, June 13, at 10 a.m. in the City Hall courtroom .
Democrat Lynn Spruill was certified as the winner over Moore in the May 16 Democratic Primary runoff by six votes, after a slew of affidavit ballots closed the gap for Moore.
Moore will formally contest dozens of ballots during the hearing conducted by the Oktibbeha County Democratic Executive Committee.
Starkville Democratic Municipal Executive Committee Chair Patti Drapala will chair the hearing and said it would be open to the media.
"My desire is to have as transparent a process as possible,” Drapala said in am email to the SDN Thursday. “We want to give Mr. Moore a fair hearing. We want to give the people as transparent a process as possible."
The SDN reported last week that Moore’s legal counsel is claiming roughly 50 ballots should be reconsidered due to a wide range of potential infractions.
Along with the Petition For Election Contest filed by Moore, his legal counsel requested a special election be called if it becomes impossible to determine an outcome due to the commingling of illegal ballots with legal ballots.
Starks or Moore could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
Mayor-elect Spruill is scheduled to be sworn in on July 3 and said she is eager to have the results of the election finalized.
“I do not expect a change in those results and I have been busy working toward the swearing in activities for our first day in office which will be the 3rd of July,” Spruill said in a text message to the SDN. “
Before voicing her doubts about a change in the election results, Spruill said she had met with most of the new Board and most of the department heads in preparation for the next few months and next four years. If finalized as the winner of the election, Spruill will be the first female mayor in Starkville's history.
“I don’t believe a 3rd bite at that apple will change the outcome,” she said.