More candidates are throwing their hats in to run for sheriff, circuit clerk and positions on the Board of Supervisors in Leflore County.
The Rev. Curtis Coates Jr. has qualified to run as an independent for circuit clerk.
The 44-year-old pastors Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Money and works as a salesman at Cannon Motors.
Coates served as District 5 election commissioner from August 2008 through December 2010, when he resigned to run for office.
“I decided to run to help and serve the people of Leflore County, to make sure that things are right,” Coates said. “I can be available to all the citizens of Leflore, regardless of color, creed or race.”
Democrat Elmus Stockstill, who works for U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, is seeking the office, as is independent Mary Rice-Roberson, a deputy circuit clerk.
Incumbent Trey Evans has said he’s not running again.
The qualifying deadline for everyone but legislators is March 1. The legislative qualifying deadline is June 1. Primaries are Aug. 2, and the general election is Nov. 8.
Other qualifiers include:
nAlfred King, who ran unsuccessfully for sheriff in 1999, is seeking the office again as a Democrat. He will face Demetrice Bedell in the primary. Incumbent Ricky Banks, an independent, will await the winner in the general election.
King, 56, said he’s been in law enforcement since 1976 and held a variety of positions in the Sheriff’s Department. He then worked for the Department of Human Services for 10 years until May 2010. He currently runs King Detective Service.
“I think that we need a change in Leflore County and that everyone will be treated fairly and won’t be prejudged because of income or color,” he said.
King said his loss in the 1999 election was due to voters coming in from Carroll County.
- Eric Mitchell of Itta Bena, a Leflore County School District administrator and a restaurant owner, has qualified to run as an independent for District 4 supervisor. Incumbent Wayne Self is running as a Democrat.
- Charles O. McCain Jr. is running as an independent for District 3 supervisor. Incumbent Preston Ratliff is facing Anjuan Brown in the Democratic primary.
- James Littleton, incumbent Central District justice court judge, has qualified to seek another term as a Democrat.
Several incumbent legislators have already qualified, including:
- Rep. Willie Perkins, Democrat, District 32
- Rep. Bobby Howell, Republican, District 46
- Sen. Lydia Chassaniol, Republican, District 14
- Sen. David Jordan, Democrat, District 24.
Jordan is the only legislative incumbent to draw an opponent so far.
Rogrick Wardell, a 2008 Greenwood mayoral candidate, is challenging Jordan as an independent.
Qualifiers for legislative, statewide and district attorney positions qualify with their parties. Independents for those offices qualify with the Secretary of State.
Democrat Doug Evans of Grenada — district attorney for Carroll, Attala, Choctaw, Grenada, Montgomery, Webster and Winston counties — has also qualified to run again.
• Contact Charlie Smith at csmith@gwcommonwealth.com.
