See who won contested races in Hinds County local elections

Pam Dankins, Mississippi Clarion-Ledger
·3 min read

Most Mississippi counties released the results of their local elections Tuesday night. But after some Hinds County residents endured long lines and ballot shortages, results were slow to come in for the state's most populous county.

When they were finally released Wednesday afternoon, 64,679 voters had cast their ballot in the 107 precincts of Hinds County. The county had a 39.13% voter turnout. Democrats dominated, with a lone Republican winning an uncontested race.

Below are the complete but unofficial results of the local contested races in the county. Results have to be certified by the Secretary of State.

As one voter fills out their ballot another signs in to vote on Election Day at Precinct 1 at the U.S. Military Entrance Processing Station in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023.
As one voter fills out their ballot another signs in to vote on Election Day at Precinct 1 at the U.S. Military Entrance Processing Station in Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023.

Hinds County Board of Supervisors

District 2: Democrat Anthony Smith was elected to the Hinds County’s Board of Supervisors for District 2, defeating independent challenger Darrel McQuirter. Smith won 66.85% of the vote.

District 4: Democrat Wanda Evers secured about 62% of the vote, titling her as the Hinds County District 4 Board of Supervisors winner. She defeated Republican candidate Allison Clower Lauderdale, who walked away with only 35% of the vote.

Evers is a radio host of and the niece of civil rights activist Medgar Evers.

District 5: Incumbent supervisor Bobby McGowan was declared the winner for District 5 in the Hinds County Board of Supervisors race, defeating two independent challengers: Jonathan Pond and Chris Woodard.

McGowen beat his opponents by a margin of more than 5,500 votes. In total, McGowen garnered nearly 70% of the vote.

Pond received 20% of the vote, and Woodward only took 6% of the vote.

Hinds County Sheriff

Incumbent Democratic candidate Tyree Jones became the first Black sheriff to be re-elected in Hinds County.

Jones beat Independent candidate Reginald Thompson by a margin of around 46,000 votes. Jones won with 83.39% of the vote. This will be his first official term as sheriff. In 2021, he defeated Marshand Crisler in a special run-off election after the previous sheriff, Lee Vance, died due to complications of COVID-19.

Hinds County primary election winners: Hinds County elections: Tyree Jones wins handily in sheriff's race. See supervisors winners

Hinds County Election Commissioner

District 2: Bobbie McClure Graves was declared the winner, defeating three independent candidates: Richard Cook, RaToya Gilmer McGee, Celestial Gordon-Griffin.

Graves won roughly 29% of the vote. McGee trailed behind, winning 20% of the vote.

Cook took 18% of the vote, and Gordon-Griffen managed to gather 15% of the vote.

District 4: Incumbent Independent candidate Yvonne Horton secured around 46% of the vote, re-electing her as District 4 Hinds County Election Commissioner. She beat Independent candidate Justin Cook by a margin of 1,287 votes. At final count, Cook took 36% of the vote.

Hinds County District Attorney

Democrat Jody E. Owens II secured re-election with 69% of the vote, beating out his independent opponent, Darla Palmer. Owens beat Palmer by more than 27,900 votes.

Results of other local races in Hinds County:

The following winners all ran an uncontested race. Term lengths for all positions are four years.

  • Chancery Clerk: Eddie Jean Carr, Democrat

  • Circuit Clerk: Zach Wallace, Democrat

  • Coroner: Sharon Grisham-Stewart, Democrat

  • County Attorney: Gerald A. Mumford, Democrat

  • County Surveyor: Jeffrey Maurice Lewis, Republican

  • Tax Assessor: Charles E. Stokes, Democrat

  • Tax Collector: Eddie J. Fair, Democrat

  • Justice Court Judge District 1: Don Palmer, Democrat

  • Justice Court Judge District 2: Tabitha Britton-Porter, Democrat

  • Justice Court Judge District 3: Frank L. Sutton Sr., Democrat

  • Justice Court Judge District 4: Kenny W. Lewis, Democrat

  • District 5 Justice Court Judge: Pearlie Brown Owens, Democrat

  • District 1 Supervisor: Robert Graham, Democrat

  • District 3 Supervisor: Deborah Butler Dixon, Democrat

  • District 1 Constable: Jerry Moore, Democrat

  • District 2 Constable: John Brown, Democrat

  • District 3 Constable: Lawrence Funchess, Democrat

  • District 4 Constable: Leon Seals, Democrat

  • District 5 Constable: Beverly Wade-Green, Democrat

  • School Board, Place 1: Mary A. Killingsworth, Independent

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: See how Hinds County MS candidates fared in 2023 local election