Municipal election season takes shape in Meridian

Published 5:32 pm Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Five candidates are hoping to be the next mayor of Meridian, but two have yet to file qualifying papers at City Hall. 

The qualifying deadline for the municipal election is 5  p.m. March 3. The primary election is May 2 with a runoff, if necessary, on May 16. The general election is June 6.

Though he has yet to file qualifying papers, current Mayor Percy Bland said he will do so Tuesday when he announces his bid for re-election.

Bland, who beat incumbent Republican Cheri Barry in 2013, said he will run again as a Democrat.

He said he is ready for another challenge.

“There has been tremendous growth over the past 3 1/2 years from the standpoint of economic development all over town,” Bland said as he touted his successes. “There’s the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience and the 2 percent food and beverage tax referendum that passed. There is the Children’s Museum and Velma Young Center. Unemployment has gone down from 11.8 percent to 6.8 percent…We have a pro-business culture and strong partnerships working with the county, EMBDC, state and federal delegation.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, the lone opposition to Bland on the Democratic side is frequent city hall critic Allen Shute, who is running on a campaign of transparency in government.

“I want an open door to the mayor’s office,” Shute said. “I want the office to be transparent. I want to put the city where people will want to stay here.”

City council member Dustin Markham, who has represented Ward 2 since 2013, said he will file papers to run for the mayor’s seat next week, but declined to reveal his party affiliation. 

“I’m weighing my options and plan to qualify next week,” said Markham, an attorney with the Barry, Thaggard, May and Bailey Law Firm in Meridian. 

On the Republican side, attorney William Bond Compton Jr. has filed papers, along with Libertarian Party candidate Mariner Durant.

Compton ran for mayor in 2013 and was defeated in the Republican Primary by Barry. He also ran for the House District 83 seat in 2015 and was beaten by Greg Snowden. 

According to Durant’s campaign literature, the Libertarian Party supports true freedom and supports ending the “failed” war on drugs. The party supports ending overseas wars, lowering taxes and a balanced budget. 

City Council

On the city council, incumbent Ward 1 member George Thomas, a Republican, has no opposition as of yet. Thomas, a council member since 1985, filed papers last month.

In Ward 2, Tyrone Johnson has qualified to run in the Democratic Primary. No candidate has filed as a Republican or Independent.

Ward 3 Councilwoman Barbara Henson, who has held the seat since 1989, is not seeking re-election. Michael Joe Hoadley is running for Henson’s seat as a Republican, while L.O.V.E’s Kitchen Director Fannie Johnson is running for the seat as a Democrat.

Democrat Amy Payton is challenging fellow Democrat Kim Houston for the  Ward 4 seat. No other candidates have filed for the seat.

In Ward 5, incumbent Republican Randy Hammon will be challenged by Democrat Weston Rush Lindemann in the general election. No other candidates have filed for the seat.

To qualify, Republican, Democrat and Libertarian party candidates must pay $10 and fill out forms at City Hall. Independent candidates must get 50 signatures from registered voters within the city or respective ward and are not required to pay the $10 fee.

“Qualifying of candidates are not done by this office, but by party,” Meridian City Clerk David Whitaker said. “We make sure we have certified poll workers and there are enough supplies at a particular precinct. The respective party is in charge of each primary, and they usually ask us to do the work for them. We get the poll workers trained and we’re responsible for paying them.”