The qualifying period for candidates in the 2026 General Election closed at 5 p.m., with two candidates qualified for each local race.
Both Lauderdale County Court Judges Veldore Young-Graham and Lisa Howell have qualified to run for an additional term. They will be unopposed on the November 3 ballot. Both Graham and Howell also serve as Youth Court judges as well.
For Lauderdale County School Board District 5, incumbent Michael Wilson has qualified to run again and faces challenger Olivia Leann Vick.
Two special elections this year for Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk and Justice Court Judge District 2 have also seen two candidates each. State Sen. Jeff Tate and former Meridian City Councilwoman Kim Houston will face off in November for the Circuit Clerk seat, while LaBaron Hedgemon and Kevin Richardson will appear on the ballot for Justice Court Judge.
Hedgemon was appointed in January to serve as interim Justice Court Judge following the death of Ondray Harris Sr.
The winning candidates for both Justice Court Judge and Circuit Clerk will serve the remainder of the term ending Dec. 31, 2027. They will be up for reelection along with other county officials next year.
November’s election will also see contests for both Chancery and Circuit Court judges. In the 12th District Chancery Court, current Chancellors Austin C. Terry and Amanda Trawick Rainey are running unopposed for another term. In Circuit Court, Judges Robert T. “Bo” Bailey and Charles W. Wright Jr. are also free from opposition on the ballot.
Also appearing on the ballot this year will be races for U.S. House Of Representatives and one of Mississippi’s two U.S. Senate seats. A seat on the State Court of Appeals is also set to be decided.