Voting in Forrest, Lamar counties in Mississippi? Everything to know for 2024 Election Day
Tuesday's general election brings a nation together to choose its next president and vice president, but it is also an important event for several local races.
Below is a list of candidates on the ballot in Forrest and Lamar counties.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives serve two-year terms. Senators serve six-year terms. Elections for these races are held in even years.
Sen. Roger Wicker was first appointed to the Senate in 2007 by then-Gov. Haley Barbour and won in a special election in 2008 to fill the remainder of former Sen. Trent Lott's term after the longtime senator resigned. Wicker was re-elected in 2012 and again in 2018. He is on the ballot with Democrat Ty Pinkins.
Forrest and Lamar counties, like most of south Mississippi, are served by the Fourth District of the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican incumbent Mike Ezell is seeking re-election. Democrat Craig Raybon is challenging Ezell in this year's race.
Incumbent state Supreme Court Justice Dawn Beam also faces a challenger in David Sullivan. He has served five years as municipal judge in D'Iberville and is the pro tempore municipal judge in Ocean Springs.
The state Court of Appeals will see a new face in District 5, Place 2 in January. Judge Joel Smith was appointed by Gov. Tate Reeves in 2021 to fill the vacancy left by now-Commissioner of Public Safety Sean Tindell.
He was elected to the position in 2022 to fill the remainder of Tindell's term, which ends in January. He did not seek re-election this year. Judges in the Court of Appeals serve eight-year terms.
Three contenders are on the ballot to fill Smith's post: prosecuting attorney Ian Baker of Gulfport, 8th District Chancellor Jennifer T. Schloegel who serves the three coastal counties; and Gautier Municipal Court Judge Amy Lassiter St. Pé.
In addition, in Forrest County's District 1, there will be a special election to fill the Justice Court seat vacated by Judge Wes Curry, who was appointed to the 12th District Circuit Court in May by Gov. Tate Reeves.
The winner of the race will fill the remainder of Curry's four-year term, which ends in January 2028. Robert "Bob" Gholson was appointed to the post until the special election could be held. He is one of two candidates hoping to fill the spot.
Lamar County School District has a bond issue on the ballot to make improvements to infrastructure or buildings or build new schools in several of the county's cities. The measure is asking voters to approve or not approve a $117 million bond.
Odd-numbered election commission races and some school board seats also are on the ballot for this year's general election. Most of these races are not opposed.
What else to know about voting in Mississippi
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Registered voters who are in line by 7 p.m. at their polling place will be allowed to cast their ballots.
Registered voters must bring photo identification to the polls.
Anyone who has mobility challenges can ask a poll worker for assistance in voting curbside.
If you live in Forrest or Lamar County, click one of the links below to find your polling place:
Forrest County: Where to vote for the 2024 presidential election
Lamar County: Where to vote for the 2024 presidential election
President/Vice President
Kamala D. Harris/Tim Walz, Democrat
Chase Oliver/Mike ter Maat, Libertarian
Jill Stein/Rudolph Ware, Green
Randall Terry/Stephen E. Broden, Constitution
Donald J. Trump/J.D. Vance, Republican
Shiva Ayyadurai/Crystal Ellis, independent
Claudia De la Cruz/Karina Garcia, independent
Robert F. Kennedy Jr./Nicole Shanahan, independent
Peter Sonski/Lauren Onak, independent
U.S. Senate
Ty Pinkins, Democrat
Roger F. Wicker, Republican (incumbent)
U.S. House of Representatives, District 4
Mike Ezell, Republican (incumbent)
Craig Elliot Raybon, Democrat
MS Supreme Court Justice, District 2, Place 2 (non-partisan)
Dawn H. Beam (incumbent)
David P. Sullivan
MS Court of Appeals, District 5, Place 2 (non-partisan)
Ian Baker
Jennifer T. Schloegel
Amy Lassiter St. Pé
Special Election: Forrest County Justice Court Judge, District 1
Grant Bennett
Robert 'Bob' Gholson (incumbent)
Forrest County Election Commissioner, District 1
James "Neil" Harvison
Forrest County Election Commissioner, District 3
Lucretia "Sug" Jenkins
Forrest County Election Commissioner, District 5
Sue Polk
Forrest County School Board, District 3
Angela Brown
Forrest County School Board, District 4
Ronnie Perkins
Lamar County Election Commissioner, District 1
Misty Hankins Hood
Lamar County Election Commissioner, District 3
Melissa Breazeale Love
Christie C. Saulters
Lamar County Election Commissioner, District 5
Shirley Haddox
Lamar County School Board, District D
Lance LeFan
Special Election: Lamar County School Bond Issue
The bond issue states: Shall the Lamar County School District issue its bonds in the maximum principal amount of $117,000,000 to raise money for the purpose of paying the costs, including the costs of borrowing, of purchasing, erecting, repairing, equipping, remodeling and enlarging school buildings and related facilities, and providing necessary water, light, heating, air conditioning and sewerage facilities for such school buildings and related facilities, Including, but not limited to constructing and equipping a new Purvis High School, a new Sumrall High School, a new Oak Grove Middle School, Oak Grove Elementary School Office and a new Lumberton Elementary School PE facility?
For the bond issue
Against the bond issue
Lici Beveridge is a reporter for the Hattiesburg American and Clarion Ledger. Contact her at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on X @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.
This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: What to know if you're voting in Forrest, Lamar counties in MS: Guide
