Various candidates have qualified to seek judicial seats in districts that include Webster County.
May 11 was the qualifying deadline to run in Mississippi’s non-partisan judicial races that will be on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.
In the 14th Chancery Court District, five candidates are seeking to replace Chancellor Kenneth Burns of Houston, who is retiring at the end of his current term. He was elected to the Place 1 position in 2003.
The 14-1 seat presides over Chickasaw and Webster counties, and a portion of Oktibbeha County.
Candidates for Subdistrict 14-1 are Houston attorneys Elizabeth Fox Ausbern and R. Todd Bennett, Okolona attorney Gene Barton, Starkville Municipal Judge Rodney Faver and Starkville attorney Lee Ann Turner.
If no candidate gets a majority of the votes in the general election, a runoff will be held Nov. 27.
Court of Appeals Judge Donna Barnes of Tupelo is unopposed in District 1, Place 2, which includes Webster. The term of Appeals Court Judge Jim Greenlee of District 1, Place 1 does not expire until January 2023.
Judges Joseph H. “Joey” Loper Jr. (Place 1) of Ackerman and George M. Mitchell Jr. (Place 2) of Eupora are unopposed for re-election in the 5th Circuit Court District.
The general election ballot will include races for judicial offices, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and county school board members. The qualifying period for Webster County School Board districts 3 and 4 is Aug. 8-Sept. 7.
