State Sen. Jeff Tate, who has represented Lauderdale County in Jackson since 2020, was elected Circuit Clerk on Tuesday in this year’s General Elections. According to unofficial results, Tate received 12,120 votes or 56.25%, of the vote compared to the 9,395, or 43.60%, cast for former Meridian City Councilwoman Kim Houston.
Also declaring victory are judges for Lauderdale County, the 10th Circuit Court of Mississippi and the 12th District Chancery Court. County Court Judges Lisa Howell and Veldore Young Graham, Circuit Court Judges Charles Wright and Robert Bailey, and Chancery Judges Amanda Trawick Rainey and Austin Terry were all elected to another term with no opposition on the ballot.
U.S. Rep. Michael Guest also won reelection as the Representative for Mississippi’s Third Congressional District on Tuesday, receiving 57.8% of the vote district-wide. In Lauderdale County, voters overwhelmingly chose Guest with 11,703 votes, or 53.71%, compared to 9,846 or 45.18%, received by opponent Michael Chiaradio. Libertarian candidate Erik Kiel received 225 votes or just over 1%.
Still too close to call are races for Lauderdale County Justice Court Judge District 2 and Lauderdale County School Board District 5.
In the Justice Court race, LaBaron Hedgemon has a lead of just under 600 votes over Kevin Richardson. Hedgemon received 2,609 votes to Richardson’s received 2,066
Similarly, the race for Lauderdale County School Board District 5 has Olivia Leann Vick at 1,174 votes to Michael Wilson’s 909.
Statewide, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and challenger Scott Colom are head-to-head in another race that is too close to call. According to unofficial tallies from the Associated Press, Colom leads by less than 50 votes as of Wednesday morning.
The unofficial results announced Wednesday include absentee ballots cast in person and via mail, but do not include affidavit ballots. The election saw high numbers of affidavit ballots, which will be reviewed individually by Election Commissioners over the next few days.