Bianca Moorman/The Meridian StarAngela Leggett holds up signs supporting her favored candidates Tuesday morning at the Velma Young Center. 

Education and justice issues are some voters in East Mississippi had in mind as they headed to the polls on Tuesday.

Voters at the polls before 8 a.m. said they wanted their vote to count in several contested races, including the Mississippi governors race, the 10th Circuit district attorney’s race and some county supervisors races.

Christopher Scott, of Meridian, who was born a little bit after the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s said voting honors those who fought for the right to vote. He said voting might be a small act but it can make an impact.

“Every vote matters and everybody should come out,” Scott said.

Meridian resident Ronnie Walton said he voted for someone who is going to support public education. Walton, a graduate of Meridian public schools, said he is disappointed in the lack of funding for public schools and has seen the effect it has had on the schools.

Tom Sikes, a local pastor, said the district attorney’s race is most important race for him. Sikes, who knows the family of Christian Andreacchio, said he hopes whoever wins will bring the family some justice. 

Andreacchio, 21, died of a gunshot wound in February 2014. Meridian police ruled his death a suicide, but his family does not believe he would have taken his own life and has pushed for a prosecution in his death.

While holding a sign to get voters’ attention at the Velma Young Center, Angela Leggett said she would like someone who will fight for criminal justice in the state and the city. Leggett said she wishes more young people would come out to vote since they are the future.

People should not complain if they are not taking the time to vote, she said. 

“It is not going to change if you don’t vote,” she said.

Some polling places reported minor problems with voting machines, including a paper jam at Poplar Springs Drive Methodist Church. The jam lasted four minutes and voters were asked to place their paper ballots in a bin until the problem was corrected.

Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk Donna Jill Johnson said when issues such as a paper jam happen there is a legal process to follow.

The ballots are put in a secure bin at a voting precinct. Johnson said the ballots from the bin will be scanned in front of the public to see once the matter is resolved.

At Meridian Little Theatre, poll worker Ashlee Onyia said as of 8 a.m. they had more than 100 people to come out and vote.

The only problem she saw was some people having difficulty filling out their paper ballots.

The only problem she saw was some people having difficulty filling out their paper ballots.

Johnson said there was a high voter turnout, and the only issue she had was people calling about where they were supposed to vote.