2023 election battles start today

When they opened their offices this morning, Mississippi circuit clerks were ready for a unique aspect of their official duties.

It’s the first business day of an election year. It happens every four years. Most constitutional offices in the state, from governor to constable, are up for election during 2023.

In addition to their primary duties as administrators for the state’s circuit courts, Mississippi circuit clerks are also responsible for elections at the county level. Starting today, and for every business day until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, Mississippi circuit clerks will be dealing with people who want to be candidates for one of about two dozen available elective offices in every Mississippi county.

There are five openings for county supervisor, one for each of five supervisory districts. Each county will elect one sheriff, one chancery clerk, one circuit clerk, one collector/assessor and one county coroner. Two or more justice court judges and two or more constables will be elected in every county.

Candidates for these county offices will complete required paperwork at the circuit clerk’s office. They will pay a fee of $100, which will go to the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. Their names will then appear on the ballot for the party primaries on Tuesday, August 8. Those wishing to run as independent candidates, without party affiliation, must provide petitions signed by 50 qualified voters. Independent candidates are not required to pay the $100 party fee.

Those who receive the most votes on August 8th will be their party’s nominee, and their names will appear on the Tuesday, November 7th election ballot.

If no candidate receives a majority of his party’s votes in the August 8 primary, the top two vote getters will meet in run-off elections on Tuesday, August 29th.

Candidates for state offices including governor, state legislative seats, public service and transportation commission, etc. must file their candidacies with the office of the Mississippi Secretary of State in Jackson.

The ten MS state executive offices up for election are Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, Commissioner of Insurance, Public Service Commission (3 seats), and Transportation Commission (3 seats).

It will be interesting to see whether there are many local candidates for office in North Mississippi on the Democratic ticket. The state elections in 2019 were distinguished by a record number of candidates running as Republicans. For what is believed to have been the first time ever, there were actually run-off elections for Republican nominations for county offices in Union County.

After the 2019 election, many Union County candidates nominated and elected as Democrats, publicly declared their loyalty to the Republican Party.

If Old Diogenes were to go looking for a declared Democratic candidate in Union County in 2023, he would need a lot of oil for his lamp and extra leather for the soles of his sandals.

The fun starts today!