Mississippi Business Journal » voters

Republicans: Seven elected officials to switch to GOP

Associated Press — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:16:02 +0000

AROUND MISSISSIPPI — The Mississippi Republican Party says at least seven local elected officials are switching to the GOP. State party spokesman Brett Kittredge says in response to a question from The Associated Press that the officials are from Leake, Jones and Newton counties. Party chairman Joe Nosef will announce the names of the new [...]

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Sen. Flowers to resign from Legislature to spend time with family

Associated Press — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:28:07 +0000

SOUTHAVEN — Republican Merle Flowers of Southaven says he is resigning from the Mississippi Senate to spend more time with his wife and their four children. The 43-year-old Flowers said today that he would step down as of July 11. His District 19 is entirely inside DeSoto County. Flowers has been in the Senate since [...]

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Appeals Court to hear lawsuits over drawing county district lines

Associated Press — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:03:01 +0000

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — A federal appeals court has scheduled oral arguments for June 4 in lawsuits challenging the failure of 11 Mississippi counties to redraw supervisor district lines in time for the 2011 election. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in New Orleans. In March of 2011, [...]

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Gov. Bryant to sign voter ID legislation today

Associated Press — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:29:55 +0000

JACKSON — Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant plans a ceremony today to sign a voter ID bill. The measure will become law only if it is approved by the U.S. Justice Department. Because of Mississippi’s history of racial discrimination, federal approval is required for any change in election laws or procedures. House Bill 921 would require [...]

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Former MDOT executive director Brown wins mayoral runoff

Associated Press — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:02:58 +0000

NATCHEZ — Larry L. Brown has won the Democratic primary for Natchez mayor, defeating Phillip West by 541 votes in the runoff. Brown, former executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, received 56 percent of the vote, or 2,696 votes in yesterday’s runoff election. West had 44 percent of the vote, or 2,155 votes. [...]

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After 25 years, Rep. Woods retiring from Legislature due to health

Associated Press — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:22:49 +0000

BYHALIA — State Rep. Tommy Woods, a Republican from Byhalia, is retiring from the Mississippi House after 25 years. Woods told the Commercial Appeal he made his decision to retire after consulting with his physicians. He suffered a stroke Dec. 26. Woods was re-elected in November to a seventh term serving House District 52 district [...]

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Rep. Banks announces candidacy for Mississippi Supreme Court

Associated Press — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:09:59 +0000

JACKSON — A state lawmaker has filed to run for Mississippi Supreme Court in the November general election. Rep. Earle Banks is the only candidate challenging Chief Justice William Waller Jr. in a district encompassing the central one-third of the state. Both live in Jackson. Supreme Court Justice Leslie King of Greenville is unopposed for [...]

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Hosemann slams DoJ employee for alleged remarks

MBJ Staff — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:24:16 +0000

JACKSON — Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has addressed the comments allegedly made by a Department of Justice (DoJ) employee, calling her remarks “irresponsible.” Allegedly, DoJ employee Stephanie Gyamfi posted the following statements on the social networking site, Facebook: “They never do…disgusting and shameful. Hey, that should replace the state motto! “Mississippi: Disgusting and Shameful.”…forget the [...]

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State Legislature wraps up work on redistricting plan

Associated Press — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:23:39 +0000

JACKSON — Mississippi lawmakers are finished with their part of redistricting, and new House and Senate maps await federal scrutiny. The Mississippi House voted 70-50 yesterday to approve a state Senate plan that increases the number of majority-black districts and reduces the number of split precincts. The Senate approved its own plan Wednesday. Both chambers [...]

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Senate approves redistricting plan; needs House approval

Associated Press — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:38:48 +0000

JACKSON — The Mississippi Senate today adopted its own redistricting plan that includes more majority-black districts and fewer split precincts. The Senate also rubber-stamped a House map that the House approved last week. The Senate plan still needs House approval. Legislative maps have to be updated each decade to balance the population in the districts. [...]

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