After a 16 year tenure as mayor of Meridian, John Robert Smith announced in February that he would not run for mayor again. A furious battle for his seat ensued, with Cheri Barry facing insurance agent Percy Bland in the general election.
The campaigning began with the Democratic primary, where four different candidates sought the nomination. As the only Republican candidate, Barry did not have to compete in the primary, but campaigned heavily while the four Democrats - Bland, Cassandra Sloan, Joe Norwood, and Bill Compton, battled it out.
After months of campaign stops, debates, accusations, and fundraising among all the candidates, Bland won the Democratic nomination. He and Barry then went head-to-head for the office of mayor.
By the time election night rolled around in June, there was no clear leader in the race. Only one thing was certain — however Meridian voted, it would be a first for the city. Voters would either elect
Barry as Meridian's first female mayor or Bland as the city's first black mayor.
For much of election night, it looked as though Bland would win with a comfortable majority. But when the last voting box came in and all electronic, absentee, and affidavit votes were counted, Barry emerged victorious. By a narrow margin of around 300 votes, Meridian had for the first time chosen a woman as its chief executive officer.
Barry was inaugurated in July before a large crowd at the Temple Theater along with Meridian City Council members, marking the start of a new era in city government.
