At this point, Greenwood residents have two choices for their next mayor n incumbent Sheriel Perkins and challenger Carolyn McAdams. But Curressia Brown believes that when the June 2 general election rolls around, she’ll be back in the running for the city’s top post.
“My goal in running was to be on the ballot and offer a choice to the citizens of Greenwood,” Brown said. “And I still believe that will happen.”
Brown’s mayoral bid was derailed last month when the Election Commission removed her from the race because of residency issues. Brown has appealed the commission’s ruling to Leflore County Circuit Court.
A hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Leflore County Courthouse. The Mississippi Supreme Court assigned Circuit Judge Andrew K. Howorth of Oxford to preside.
Brown has hired Jackson attorney John Reeves to represent her.
At an Election Commission hearing on April 15, Brown told the three-person commission she lived at 201 W. President, an address inside Greenwood’s city limits. She admitted to having lived in the county at 103 Eagle St. in the past but said she moved into the city so her two youngest children could attend the city’s public schools. However, she also testified that her husband and children still reside on Eagle Street and her children currently attend private school.
The only other witness called at the hearing was Perkins. Perkins testified that her father-in-law lived on Eagle Street, and she personally knew Brown still resided outside the city.
The commission ruled that Brown’s permanent address was on Eagle Street and threw her off the ballot.
On May 5, Perkins easily defeated challengers George Ellis and Rogrick Wardell in the Democratic primary and moved on to the June 2 general election.
The only other candidate officially on the ballot is McAdams, an independent.
Although her 2009 political aspirations have been in limbo for roughly three weeks, Brown hasn’t slowed her campaign.
“During the last few weeks, I've knocked on doors, held listening sessions with groups of concerned citizens, and continued to share our agenda at every opportunity,” Brown said. “The response has been overwhelming.”
The 42-year-old Mississippi Valley State University professor said her mayoral platform includes:
nFocusing on positive activities for young people;
nPublic transportation to and from city services;
nSkills training and retraining for people with or without high school diplomas.
Brown added Thursday afternoon, “I’m still focused on bringing the green back to Greenwood.”
The May 5 primary n in which 11 percent of registered city voters got to the polls n revealed how disillusioned citizens are with local politics, Brown said. It’s not voter apathy that keeps people from voting, she said, but instead “disgust with the system” and “disconnect.”
“Politics have gotten ugly, and I truly believe people are frustrated with the process,” she said.
Brown said that no matter what happens, she hopes to inspire people to go to the polls.
“I want to restore in people the belief that you can make a difference,” she said. “Your voice can make a difference.”
No matter who is running, Brown said, she hopes people make informed votes: “It shouldn’t be whether the white candidate wins or the black candidate wins; it should be whether Greenwood wins.”
Brown voted by affidavit ballot in the Democratic primary Tuesday. She declined to say who received her vote. Regardless, according to records in City Hall Friday afternoon, the Municipal Election Commission did not certify Brown's vote.
Records also showed that Brown received two right-in votes for mayor in Ward 7.
