Latest news with #SonyaWilliamsBarnes
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Keating wins Gulfport mayor's race, holding insurmountable lead over Barnes
Attorney Hugh Keating has defeated former state Rep. Sonya Williams Barnes in a contentious and high-profile race for Gulfport mayor. Keating greeted supporters Tuesday night at Centennial Plaza after his initial reports showed him edging Sonya Williams Barnes by a little more than 1,100 votes with all precincts counted. While 1,404 absentee ballots remained to be counted, he felt confident that he would be victorious. 'I want to be the mayor for all of Gulfport, and that means every persuasion,' he said during a speech Tuesday night. Later, the city released unofficial returns, including absentee ballots, that showed Keating with 6,902 votes, or 53.19%, to 6,073 votes, or 46.81%, for Barnes. Keating's campaign shared vote totals early in the evening that did not include absentee votes cast ahead of the election. Barnes was unwilling to concede the race at around 10 p.m. Instead, she headed to city hall to check on the vote, and did not respond later to a telephone call or text message from the Sun Herald. City officials did not release vote totals until around midnight Tuesday. At 1 a.m., city officials confirmed there were 491 affidavit votes to count and officials were waiting to see how many of 109 ballots mailed out would be returned within the required five business days from the election. Even if all 600 votes were for Barnes, it would not be enough to catch Keating. After receiving the initial results, Keating told the Sun Herald from his packed campaign party: 'It's been a learning experience, to say the least. It's been a wonderful experience with the opportunity to meet the citizens of Gulfport as I traveled the neighborhoods and learned what the needs and concerns are.' Turnout was high, compared to the 2021 mayor's race, when 4,204 residents cast ballots. This time around, about 13,000 residents voted. In 2021, Mayor Billy Hewes won the mayor's race with 2,680 votes, or 63.27% of the total. Barnes received more votes in the 2025 Democratic primary: 3,316, or 84.3%. Both primary races featured one challenger. Barnes' high primary vote total galvanized Keating supporters, including state Sen. Joel Carter, who urged Gulfport residents on social media to avoid assuming that Keating was a 'shoo-in,' saying they needed to get out and vote. Supporters on both sides hurled allegations of wrongdoing in the campaign's waning days, while both candidates welcomed well-known politicians to boost their chances. The Mississippi Attorney General's Office said last week that it is investigating accusations that Barnes' campaign handed out meal vouchers in exchange for votes. Barnes denied any affiliation with illegal voter activity, while a pastor said he came up with the voucher idea as a way to increase voter turnout, adding that he is not a member of either campaign. The Mississippi Democratic Party on Monday called for a state investigation into voter intimidation, or an attempt to influence the election, over a letter Island View Casino managing partner Rick Carter, Joel Carter's father, sent out about the race. In the letter, Carter told employees that he supported Keating and thought he was best for the job. Nationally known politicians visited Gulfport to lend their support, with Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina campaigning for Keating, while Democrat Stacey Abrams of Georgia returned to Gulfport, her childhood home, to support Barnes. During her campaign, Barnes emphasized inclusiveness, saying she would work for 'one Gulfport.' She feels that past administrations have favored 'pet projects' rather than funding improvements for all wards. She said that she would work across party lines and wanted to see collaboration on city issues such as economic opportunities, housing and health care. Keating, the city's outside general counsel from 2013 until he resigned to run for mayor, also said he would work on improvements citywide. He further noted the city's need for more police officers, and said he would continue to develop the city's 'blue economy' of business affiliated with the coastal environment. Keating said after his vote totals came in that he knew absentee ballots still needed to be counted. But he felt he would still win the race. 'The reason why we are confident is because we've analyzed the absentee vote and the voting records of those who have voted absentee,' he told the Sun Herald. We are confident that we are going to have plenty of votes to carry the day.' Visual journalist Hannah Ruhoff contributed to this report.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The polls are open across Mississippi Coast. Here's what you need to know, bring
A municipal election season that has seen incumbents tossed and national figures flocking to the Mississippi Coast hits the finish line today. Polls opened across the Coast at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 7 p.m. This story will be updated with results as soon as they begin rolling in once polls close. Four mayors races will be decided today, but none have been as fiery as the battle in Gulfport between attorney Hugh Keating, a Republican, and former state Rep. Sonya Williams Barnes, a Democrat. The general elections will decide mayor's races in Gulfport, Biloxi, Gautier and Moss Point. City council and board of alderman candidates are also on ballots in several cities. New four-year terms start July 1. You are eligible to vote in Mississippi if you: Are a U.S. citizen Are at least 18 years old by Election Day Are a resident of Mississippi Live in the precinct where you vote for at least 30 days prior to the election You are NOT eligible to vote in Mississippi if: You have been convicted of a disenfranchising crime as defined by Section 241 of the Mississippi Constitution or by Attorney General Opinion, unless pardoned, rights of citizenship restored by the Governor or suffrage rights restored by the Legislature. A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote. If you were convicted of any crime that's not one of the 23 barred crimes, whether it was a felony or misdemeanor, you never lost your right to vote and you may register to vote and cast a ballot. Restorative Requirements If your sentence is completed, you should apply to the Governor for a pardon if necessary. After you have been pardoned (or both houses of the state legislature have passed a bill restoring your voting rights), then you may register to vote and cast a ballot, even while you are on parole or probation. If you are a student, you are eligible to vote in Mississippi if: You provide a student ID from an accredited school in this state You reside in another state but attend college in Mississippi You reside in Mississippi but are attending college in another state Make sure to bring ... In Mississippi, you need to show a valid photo ID to vote. You can use any ID from this list: Valid ID with photo issued by a government agency Valid government employee ID Valid Mississippi driver's license Valid Mississippi-ssued ID Valid US passport License to carry concealed weapon or firearm Valid student ID from state school Valid military ID Valid tribal ID Valid Mississippi voter ID card NOTE: You may use an expired photo ID as long as it is an acceptable form of photo ID and is not more than 10 years old. The expired ID must contain the name and photograph of the voter, and have been validly issued by the federal or a state government. Bay St. Louis Ward 2: Incumbent Eugene 'Gene' Hoffman IV (R) and Nancy Moynan (D) Biloxi Mayor: Andrew 'FoFo' Gilich (R), Andy Linville (I) and Farren Santibanez (L) Ward 1: Wayne Gray (R), Corey Christy (D) and Stephan Santibanez (L) Ward 2: Incumbent Felix O. Gines (R), Anthony L. Marshall (D) and Sonya C. White (I) D'Iberville Council At Large: Incumbent Joey Bosarge (R) and Crystal Wingo (I) Gautier Mayor: Incumbent Mayor Casey Vaughan (I) and Phil Torjusen (R) Ward 4: Lorenzo L. Fuller Sr. (I) and Joshua 'Josh' Ward (I) Ward 5: Incumbent Dante L. Elbin (R) and Anthony K. Snow (I) Gulfport Mayor: Sonya Williams Barnes (D) and Hugh Keating (R) Ward 2: Valerie Ewing (D) and Incumbent Ron Roland (R) Ward 4: Incumbent F.B. 'Rusty' Walker (R) and Dalaney Lee Mecham (I) Ward 5: Craig Elliott Raybon (D) and B.J. Sellers (R) Ward 6: Carrissa Corbett (D) and Incumbent Robert ' Flowers (R) Moss Point Mayor: Incumbent Billy Knight Sr. (D) and Richard McBride (R) Ocean Springs Alderman At Large: Matthew Hinton (R) and Oren Zweig (I) Ward 1: Greg Gipson (I) and Steve Tillis (R) Ward 5: Incumbent Robert Blackman (R) and James E. Lewis (I) Pascagoula Ward 1: Carlos R. Stallworth Sr. (I) and Michael Rodgers (D) Pass Christian Ward 1: Barry Dreyfus (R) and Incumbent Betty Sparkman (I) will both appear on the ballot. Sparkman withdrew from the race in May. The city said her name will still appear on ballots because they were printed before her withdrawal. Ward 2: Incumbent Regina Charlot (D) and Joseph Piernas (I) Anita Lee, Mary Perez and Margaret Baker contributed reporting.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Democratic leaders visit MS Coast to rally vote in high-stakes Gulfport election
Suddenly, after months of relentless campaigns, the national political leaders who arrived this week in Gulfport are trying to force new urgency into the last days of the mayor's race. 'We don't quit,' Democratic politician and activist Stacey Abrams said at a Sunday campaign stop in Gulfport several miles from where she grew up. 'They've been trying to stop us for 200 years. And what we are going to do instead is show up.' Abrams appeared with U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson to campaign for mayoral candidate Sonya Williams Barnes at an event advertised as a kick-off to the election on Tuesday. In impassioned speeches, the Democratic leaders called the race a 'bellwether election' that could signal broader change across Mississippi and even the country. But the appearance of two prominent Democrats was also a sign of how tense the race has become. Abrams spoke four days after Mississippi's Republican Attorney General said she was investigating Barnes following Republican complaints that some locals gave restaurant vouchers to voters in what the party calls a violation of state law. Barnes and other Democrats have dismissed the accusations as a false and politically-motivated distraction. And conservatives are energized too. At a Friday rally for Republican candidate Hugh Keating, top leaders warned their party that the race was close and pleaded that they vote. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina spoke alongside U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell and outgoing Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes. 'Call your friends. Call your neighbors,' Scott told the crowd on Friday. 'This is a race that will require you to go the extra mile.' About 200 people gathered on a usually-quiet stretch of 31st Avenue to hear Abrams, Barnes and Thompson, who also pleaded that residents urge everyone they know to vote. The leaders said federal cuts by the Trump administration were worrisome for Gulfport and told supporters Barnes would be an ally they could turn to in local government for help. 'All you have to do is go out and vote,' Thompson said. The crowd, sweating in the heat, clapped and cheered approval. Turnout, often low in local elections, has already been notable: City officials said last week they had received over 1,000 absentee ballots compared to just 177 during the last mayoral election. Barnes won the April Democratic primary with 3,316 votes — over 600 more than outgoing Republican Mayor Billy Hewes won in the 2021 general election. Keating had no opponent in the 2025 Republican primary. Abrams said she came to Gulfport after she heard some Republicans had called her an outsider part of a national Democratic effort to turn Gulfport blue. 'With President Trump's success, the Democrats are pretty angry right now,' Hyde-Smith told the Republican rally on Friday. 'This is called revenge, getting back and gaining ground,' she added. 'We can't seem to get the national Democrats out of this race.' Barnes has said she alone is responsible for running her campaign and called similar statements divisive. Abrams spent much of her childhood in the city, and she and Barnes are the children of United Methodist ministers who were friends. Still, Keating said last week that the Attorney General's investigation is concerning to Republicans. How fast it will proceed is unclear because the Attorney General's office does not comment on open inquiries. Barnes did not address the investigation on Sunday but said last week she had met with two of the Attorney General's investigators. Both campaigns have been calling residents and knocking on doors in a last-ditch effort to encourage turnout and lure undecided voters before polls close on Tuesday. 'We can't quit,' Keating said Friday. 'We're noticing some very positive results.' 'We need to win,' Barnes told voters on Sunday. 'But we can win only with you.' Anita Lee contributed reporting.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mayoral candidates in Gulfport want to tackle crime problem, detail plans for city
Both Democratic candidates for mayor in Gulfport see crime as the No. 1 issue in the city. Sonya Williams Barnes, a former member of the Mississippi House, said she would hope to reduce the crime rate by building relationships between the community and law enforcement and establishing intervention programs to reach young people. Ronald 'Ronnie' Henderson, a businessman and former basketball standout, wants cameras installed throughout the city to catch criminal activity, stricter punishment for offenders and more police officers. The winner of the Democratic primary faces Republican Hugh Keating in the general election. Incumbent Billy Hewes decided against running for a fourth term. Municipal primaries will be held April 1 across the state, with the general election scheduled June 3. Winners take office July 1. In Gulfport City Council races, Wards 1 and 3 winners of Democratic primaries face no opposition in the general election. In Ward 7, the Republican primary winner faces no further opposition. Wards 2 and 6 will have contested Democratic and Republican primaries, with winners advancing to the general election. Ward 5 has a contested Republican primary but only one candidate running in the Democratic primary. Ward 4 has no contested primary, with the Republican incumbent and an independent on the general election ballot. The two Democratic mayoral candidates discussed with the Sun Herald their plans if elected and how they would approach governing. Summaries are below, with candidates in alphabetical order. As mayor, Sonya Williams Barnes would work to make Gulfport more inclusive for all residents, she said. She believes city wards where minorities are in the majority, Wards 1 and 3, receive less funding and fewer projects than do the city's other wards. 'I have watched Gulfport — even before my term in the Mississippi state Legislature — pick and choose what areas of Gulfport and what people in Gulfport they want to thrive,' said Barnes, a funeral director at family business Lockett Williams Mortuary Inc. in Gulfport. She said favoritism doesn't just harm minorities but also white residents not connected to a political power structure that favors their 'pet projects.' The city will thrive when all its wards thrive, she said. Barnes also wants to make it easier for developers to get projects going in Gulfport. She said builders have told her they are submitting plans and waiting more than 90 days for permits. They're giving up and moving to other areas, she said. She wants to identify why permitting takes so long and take action to correct issues. Barnes also wants to continue working with business owners to bring more shops downtown, but she'd also like to see Gulfport develop hubs in other areas where residents can congregate to shop, eat and enjoy green spaces. Encouraging development of affordable housing, she believes, would help with the growing homeless problem. People who are earning $22,000 a year, she said, can't afford rent of $1,300 a month. Barnes said she also would look for grants and loans that small businesses could tap into to help grow Gulfport's tax base. She wants to involve the community in decision-making through quarterly town hall meetings in each ward, with the involvement of each ward's council member. 'I think that there have just been a few people making decisions for our city and everyone has been here to accept whatever decisions are made,' she said. 'People have not been included in the process.' Over the last few years, Henderson said, people have been asking him to run for mayor. After thinking about it, he said, 'I just wanted to be a part of the change I wanted to see come.' In addition to public safety, Henderson said, he wants to focus on economic development. He'd work to recruit more 'kid friendly' businesses to Gulfport, he said. He offered theme parks as an example and said families should not have to travel to Alabama or Florida to entertain their children. Henderson also believes the city has been too slow in working with builders and developers. Henderson, who's owned or worked at a variety of businesses over the years, currently has a property development and management company, KRH Enterprises LLC. He said that he's been waiting five months to get plans approved for a rental property. 'It's just a long process,' Henderson said. 'Time is money.' He wants plans reviewed by city employees, as opposed to a third-party contractor, and said the process needs to be streamlined. He also said builders are looking at cities other than Gulfport because of the delays. Henderson thinks his idea to install more cameras for public safety would also help stop dumping in the city. He wants fines levied and enforced, he said, as the city is in sore need of beautification. He said that he's seen tires dumped by a sign that prohibits dumping. 'There's no reason we should see tires on the side of the road,' Henderson said. 'There's no reason we should see trash — I'm talking about trash bags on the side of the road. And this is sometimes on the main roads.' He also believes empty buildings could be refurbished to create more affordable housing. And he wants to see more recreational outlets for children, including ball parks and basketball courts. How to pay for it all? 'You've got to bring in more businesses,' Henderson said. 'You have to give businesses more incentive to come.'
