Municipal general elections set for Tuesday, window closing for absentee voting
TUPELO — The final municipal election day for the year fast approaches with two of the seven seats in Tupelo still up for grabs.
Municipal general elections will be Tuesday June 3, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents from Ward 3 and Ward 5 have their chance to decide who will represent their area for the next four years.
In Ward 3, incumbent Republican Travis Beard, a retired teacher, will face Democrat Shirley Hendrix, owner of R&B Specialty Printing. Beard is running for a third full term. Neither opponent had challengers during the April 1 primary elections, which secured their seats without need for voting.
In Ward 5, Democrat Candria Lewis and Republican Bentley Nolan both hope to take the seat left vacant in incumbent Republican Councilman Buddy Palmer, who decided not to run for reelection.
While Nolan defeated two republican opponents in the primary and subsequent run off election, Lewis had no primary opposition.
There is still time to vote absentee for the election as well, with the final day Saturday. Tupelo City Hall will be open Saturday May 31, from 8 a.m. until noon, to accommodate last-minute absentee voters.
Absentee voting in municipal elections follows the same guidelines as those of general elections. Those who qualify for absentee voting include individuals staying outside of their primary residence, such as university students, and teachers of any grade; individuals who will be out of town on Election Day; the parent or spouse of someone with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized at least 50 miles away from their primary residence or otherwise cannot vote on Election Day; any individual over the age of 65; congressional delegates and their spouses; and people working at the times polls are open.
Whomever claims the reins for Ward 3 and Ward 5 will join the other candidates that either won in the primary election or ran unopposed. Republican Ward 1 Councilman Chad Mims Republican Ward 2 Councilman Lynn Bryan, Democrat Ward 4 Councilwoman Nettie Davis, Republican Ward 6 Councilwoman Janet Gaston, Democrat Ward 7 Councilwoman Rosie Jones and Republican Mayor Todd Jordan.
New terms will begin July 1, giving Palmer one more month as part of the council before becoming councilman emeritus.
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