Trump wins Lauderdale County, state, nation
Published 3:19 pm Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Donald J. Trump is set to become the 47th President of the United States after reaching 270 electoral votes early Wednesday morning, according to the Associated Press, which called the race. The outcome reflects voters’ choices at both the state and local level.
Unofficial results from Lauderdale County show Trump received 14,418 votes, or 60.69%. Coming in second was Kamala Harris with 8,968 votes, or 37.75%
The results statewide were similar with Trump receiving 61.1%, or 655,094 votes, and Harris coming in with 37.7%, or 404,063 votes.
Also on the ballot were Green Party candidate Jill Stein, libertarian Chase Oliver, Constitution Party’s Randall Terry and independents Robert Kennedy, Claudia De la Cruz, Peter Sonski and Shiva Ayyadurai. Aside from Trump and Harris, no candidate secured more than 1% of the vote.
A crowded race for state Supreme Court seat in the Central District was also on Tuesday’s ballot, with incumbent Justice Jim Kitchens facing off against challengers Jenifer Branning, Byron Carter, Ceola James and Abby Gale Robinson.
Lauderdale County voters overwhelmingly chose Branning for the Supreme Court seat, with 12,947 votes, or 55%. Kitchens came in second with 4,352 votes, or 18.3%. The Central District, however, includes more than Lauderdale County, and statewide results show the two candidates heading for a runoff. Branning received 41.8% of the vote across the district, while Kitchens received 35.6%.
A runoff election will be held Nov. 26. Justices are elected to eight-year terms.
Also on the ballot was U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Tupelo, who was running for reelection against challenger Ty Pinkins. Wicker cruised to another term in office taking Lauderdale County with 62.16% of the vote and 63% statewide.
Uncontested on Tuesday were:
— U.S. House Rep. Michael Guest, R-Brandon, who has represented Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District since 2018.
— State Court of Appeals judge Jack Wilson.
— Whitney Hodges for Lauderdale County Tax Assessor. Hodges served as the No. 2 in the Tax Assessor’s office under James Rainey, who died in February.
— Election Commission candidates Chuck Overby, Awana Simmons and Russell Keene representing Districts 1, 3 and 5 respectively.
— Lauderdale County School Board candidates Josh Thompson, in District 3, and Brad Pigott in District 4.
Affidavit and absentee ballots may change the candidate’s totals but are unlikely to change the results of a race. Residents who voted via affidavit ballot due to no voter ID have until 5 p.m. Nov. 13 to bring their identification to the circuit clerk’s office to make their vote count.
County election commissions have until Nov. 15 to certify their results and submit them to the Secretary of State’s office.