East Mississippi goes to the polls… A round-up of area races

By By Sheila Blackmon and Steve Swogetinsky/The Meridian Star
May 2, 2001
The town of Enterprise will have a new mayor. Larry Murray unseated incumbent Mike Gunn 77-49 during Tuesday's Republican primary. Gunn had served two terms and part of a third.
Murray will face independent Vernon Robinson in the June 5 general election.
Murray, retired from Southern Natural Gas, previously served on the Enterprise Board of Aldermen for six years.
As of early today, all party primary results were complete but unofficial. They will be certified by the parties later this week.
In Union, where only Democratic primaries were held, voters re-elected incumbent Mayor Max Sessums for a fourth term. Sessums received 458 votes to Jack Nelson Jr.'s 138.
Incumbent L.B. Adkins' 105 votes topped Ricky Sistrunk's 47 in Union's Ward 1, while people in Ward 2 elected challenger Rex Germany with 81 votes to incumbent John Graham's 62.
In Ward 3, incumbent Mattie Boler received 51 votes to Kenny Slaughter's 35. Ward 4 Alderman Bobbye McElroy will serve another term, after receiving 57 votes to Kevin Carter's 33. In Ward 5, voters chose incumbent Wayne Welch over Herman R. Adkins, 95-36.
In Newton, there were Democratic primaries in the mayoral race and two aldermen's races. Newton Mayor Hamp Beatty was re-elected. The unofficial results showed Beatty received 485 votes to Andre Lang's 256. In Ward 1, 169 people voted for incumbent Michael Hillie; Sammie Jean Jones received 51 votes. In Ward 5, incumbent Tom Brand will face off against Stuart Tune, an independent candidate, in the June general election. Brand beat Terry McKinion 69-49 in the primary.
Two party primaries were decided in Philadelphia. In Ward 1, Joe Tullos defeated Harlem Majure 150-129, and will face Republican James Breelove in the June 5 general election. In Ward 4, Bobby Seales Jackson defeated Norman Nash 261-143. Jackson will face independent Nettie Ann Cox in the general election.
Town government in Shubuta will remain the same for another four years as all incumbents were re-elected. All candidates were running in the Democratic primary.
Mayor Clyde Brown receive 190 votes to hold on to his office. Businessman Matthew Skidmore tallied 116 votes, while Everett Heidelberg received 63.
The aldermen in Shubuta are elected at-large, with the top five winning. The final totals showed Willie B. Nelson with 319 votes, Oscar Blakley 284, Jeanie McDonald 265, Charles McFarland 245, Rosco Jones 207, Bob Owens Jr. 153, Yancey Taylor 148 and Mary Alice Morgan 143.
In Quitman, incumbent alderman Oscar "Jock" Young defeated Carol Smith 77-49 to win the Democratic primary and re-election. There were no other contested party primaries.
In Stonewall, Mayor A.D. Gilbert defeated Lois Underwood 137-92 to win the Democratic nomination.
There will be a runoff for the Democratic nomination for mayor in Waynesboro. Out of a four-man field, incumbent Marshall Wood topped the field with 689 votes followed by Arthur Lee Nored with 644, Alvin Pickens with 166 and Paul Waller with 14.
In the aldermen races: Ward 1, Melissa Bowen defeated Tracy Brown 353-35; Ward 2, Joe Grimley defeated Steve Walker 299-98; Ward 3, Tammy Wilson defeated Arbuties Taylor 192-132; Ward 4 Johnny Gray defeated Arthur Wayne Longmire 197-190; and at-large, Mary Joyce Woodson 755, Joe Taylor 620 and Larry Williamson 117.
Steve Swogetinsky is regional editor of The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3217, or e-mail him at sswogetinsky@themeridianstar.com.

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