Voting precincts within the city of Meridian will be open Tuesday as residents cast their votes in the 2025 municipal primary elections. On the ballot are races for Meridian’s mayor and five City Council seats.

 

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to give residents a chance to vote.

 

Regardless of the outcome, Meridian residents living in wards 1 and 5 are guaranteed new representation on the City Council come July as council members from both wards are not running for another term. Councilman George Thomas, who has represented Ward 1 since 1985, said he plans to retire after the current term expires and did not qualify for reelection.

 

Ward 5 Councilwoman Ty Bell Lindsey, who is completing her first term on the council, likewise chose not to seek another four years in the seat and instead opted to run for mayor.

 

Looking to fill Lindsey’s shoes are Democratic candidates Brandon Rue, Jatara Smith and Shirley Bolden Goodwin. On the Republican ticket, Dustin Hill and Chad Acton are also seeking the Ward 5 seat.  With three candidates running in the Democratic primary, a runoff election to decide the race is possible.

 

The winners of the Democrat and Republican primary elections will go on to face each other and Independent candidate Ricky Spells in the general election set for June 3.

 

Running to replace Thomas in Ward 1 are Republican candidates Elliot Brewer and Elton Reed, as well as Tyrone Johnson and Cassandra Amerson on the Democratic primary ballot.

 

In Ward 2, incumbent Councilman Dwayne Davis is sailing through the primary elections with no challenger on the Democratic ballot and no candidates lining up for the Republican nomination. He will face Independent candidate Kyle Waller in the June general election to decide the race.

 

Voters in Ward 3 will see a crowded field in the Democratic primary on Tuesday with five candidates seeking the party’s nomination. LeQuincy Kimbrough, Sandra Faye Moore, Joy L. Finley and Tracy V. Tims are all seeking to unseat incumbent Councilman Joe Norwood Jr., who is running for a second term.

 

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote plus one vote, the race will head to a runoff between the two candidates with the most votes in Tuesday’s election.

 

The candidate who comes out on top will go on to face Beverly Henson, a Republican, in the general election.

 

While Ward 3 voters look to narrow the field in Tuesday’s primary, Ward 4 voters will declare a winner as former Councilwoman Kim Houston runs against incumbent Councilwoman Romande Walker in the Democratic primary. With no Republican or Independent candidates qualified for the race, the winner of Tuesday’s primary election will take the City Council seat for the next four years.

 

Residents of each ward will elect their council member independently, but all Meridian voters will take part in deciding the race for the city’s next mayor. Running for the seat on the Democratic ticket are incumbent Mayor Jimmie Smith, who is running for a second term, former Mayor Percy Bland, who previously served as mayor from 2013 to 2021, former Meridian Police Lt. Rita Jack and current Ward 5 Councilwoman Ty Bell Lindsey.

 

If needed, a runoff election between the top two candidates will be held to decide the race.

 

Also running for mayor are Stephen Derik Boler, who will appear uncontested on the Republican primary ballot and Independent Jimmy Copeland. They will run against the winner of the Democratic primary in the general election in June.

 

Meridian City Hall will be open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 29 to give residents unable to come during the workweek a chance to vote via absentee ballot if they will be unable to go to the polls on Tuesday.

 

Any runoff elections from Tuesday’s primaries will be held April 22, which is also the same day as the runoff election for state House District 82 representative. County elections officials have warned some voters may have two separate voting precincts for the runoff elections, requiring them to vote at one place for the city runoff elections and another for the House District 82 election.