CARROLLTON — Jim Neill and Scott Montgomery are anxiously awaiting Tuesday’s Democratic runoff for Beat 1 supervisor in Carroll County and hoping its citizens will turn out.
The primary winner will face independent William “Bill” Gardner in November.
In the Aug. 4 Democratic primary, Montgomery received 255 votes to Neill’s 232. The two beat out Jerry Noland, who got 199 votes, and Alan Jackson, who got 170.
The Beat 1 seat has been held for eight years by Terry Herbert, who decided not to seek another term. Herbert currently serves as board vice president.
Montgomery, 43, is the county’s fire coordinator and assistant civil defense director. He is also co-owner with his wife, Debbie, of Lu’s Wholesale Bulk Foods. Before purchasing the business, he worked for J.J. Ferguson for 16 years as road foreman and mechanic.
Montgomery said he has been working for the county voluntarily, as a fireman in the North Carrollton Fire Department, since he was 18 years old.
He said he wants to see “a more unified board to work together to move our county forward and make us better. I want to see better roads and bridges and keep taxes low. I plan to work hard for the people of Beat 1.”
Montgomery said he has continued to “knock on doors and ask them to come out and support me. I’m just trying to stay true to who I am. We’re calling people, trying to remind them to come out Tuesday and vote,” he said.
The Montgomerys have five sons and five grandchildren.
Jim Neill, 52, said he is also talking to as many people as possible, asking them to come out and vote on Tuesday and support him. “I plan on taking good care of Carroll County roads, county funds and our people.”
Neill has been employed by Resolute Forest Products for 26 years and also owns a land-development company. He is married to April Sanders Neill, and they have three children.
Only 11 of 14 precincts will vote Tuesday, according to Circuit Clerk Durward Stanton. The Black Hawk, 430 School and East Vaiden precincts do not have any contests on the ballot.
The Beat 1 Democratic contest is one of only two runoffs in Carroll County. The other is the Republican contest for the District 46 seat in the House of Representatives, pitting Winona businessmen Karl Oliver and Shed Hunger IV.
Under Mississippi law, voters must stick with the primary in which they voted on Aug. 4. Those who did not vote in either party’s first primary can vote in either party’s runoff, provided they live in the district in which the contest is being held.
Stanton said he is not expecting a large voter turnout. The first primary got lighter voter turnout than expected, he said.
“Anyone with a question about voting should call the Vaiden courthouse, and we will answer their questions,” Stanton said.
