James Littleton has unseated Leflore County Court Judge Kevin Adams, according to unofficial vote totals from Tuesday’s election.
Littleton, a Leflore County Justice Court judge, received 3,188 of the machine votes, or 61%. Adams took 2,050 votes, or 39%.
Election officials were counting Tuesday night 721 absentee ballots, and they expected to count around 250 affidavit ballots on Wednesday.
But those ballots would not affect the final outcome, given Littleton’s already substantial advantage.
Littleton, 50, exhausted but excited, said he would not be setting an alarm for Wednesday and would be sleeping in as a celebration.
Speaking on his victory, he emphasized taking charge of the county’s youth court, a key theme of his campaign.
“I’m ready to get to work for the children of Leflore County,” he said. “To make them be the most positive beings they can be, regardless of their situation. Some of them come from backgrounds that you and I can never imagine what they’re going through.
“But I do. I empathize. We’re going to do all we can to make them as successful as they can be, and we’re going to protect them while they’re in the custody of Leflore County.”
Adams, 50, has served as the county court judge since 2008. He declined to comment when reached by text after the results came in.
The race between the two candidates became bitterly heated as the election approached. Both filed lawsuits against the other alleging they were defamed by their opponent in campaign advertisements.
Littleton arrived at the county courthouse at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to observe as results came into the Circuit Clerk’s Office.
The first unofficial machine vote tally was distributed at about 8:42 p.m. and showed Littleton with a lead of 866 votes with 13 out of 18 precincts reporting, a lead he would never surrender.
In neighboring Carroll County, the race between incumbent Greg Avant and Ronnie Hicks for the Northern District Justice Court seat was too close to call. With all precincts reporting, Hicks led by six votes — 1,064 to 1,058. There were still 20 affidavit ballots to be counted Wednesday.
- Contact Kevin Edwards at 662-581-7233 or kedwards@gwcommonwealth.com.
