Forrest and Lamar County voters will head to the polls on November 8, to take part in an election that will choose a new local representative of Congress, several local judges and whether to allow alcohol sales in Lamar County.
Some of the more prominent races include that of the 4th Congressional District of Mississipi, in which Democrat Johnny DuPree, Republican Mike Ezell and Libertarian Alden Patrick Johnson will square off. The winner of that election will take the place of former Congressman Steven Palazzo, who Ezell defeated in the Republican primary election.
Another prominent race will see Gay Polk-Payton square off against long-term judge Bob Helfrich for the District 12, Place 1 seat.
The Petal School District Board of Trustees also will see a new member to replace Bruce Magee, who currently serves as chair of the board and has decided not to run again this year. Lacey C. Bolling is running unopposed in that election.
In Lamar County, voters will decide whether to institute alcohol sales in a county that has exclusively been “dry” up until now. The Lamar County School District Board of Trustees also will see a race for District D between current member Lance LeFan and challenger Ray Anthony Payton.
The Pine Belt News has done its best to provide brief information on each candidate. In the instances where none is provided, that information was not readily available.
Names on the ballots for the general election are as follows:
FORREST COUNTY
United States House of Representatives, 4th Congressional District
- Johnny L. DuPree, Democrat. DuPree served as the mayor of Hattiesburg for 16 years, from 2001 to 2017. He also has served on the Forrest County Board of Supervisors and as a member of board of directors for the Hattiesburg Public School District.
- Mike Ezell, Republican. Ezell defeated longtime representative Steven Palazzo in the recent Republican primary election. He currently serves as the sheriff of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
- Alden Patrick Johnson, Libertarian. Johnson currently serves as a firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician and is a native of Jackson.
Court of Appeals, District 5, Position 2 (Nonpartisan)
- Joel Smith. Smith is running in a special election to replace Sean Tindell, who resigned in May 2020 to become the Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner.
Chancery Court Judge District 10, Place 1 (Nonpartisan)
Chancery Court Judge District 10, Place 2 (Nonpartisan)
- Rhea H. Sheldon. Sheldon was appointed by former Gov. Phil Bryant in 2016 to fill the vacany created when Dawn Beam left the position to be a member of the Mississippi Supreme Court. Prior to her appointment, she was an attorney in private practice; she also has served as a judicial law clerk for the Mississippi Supreme Court.
Chancery Court Judge District 10, Place 3 (Nonpartisan)
- Sheila Havard Smallwood. Smallwood has been chancellor since 2019; prior to that, she served at the Smallwood Law Firm in Hattiesburg. She also has served as Forrest County District Court Judge and Petal Municipal Court Judge.
Chancery Court Judge District 10, Place 4 (Nonpartisan)
- Chad Smith. Smith graduated from Copiah-Lincoln Community College and earned a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University. He earned a law degree from Mississippi College School of Law.
Circuit Court Judge District 12, Place 1 (Nonpartisan)
- Bob Helfrich. Helfrich earned his undergraduate degree from George Mason University in 1972 before receiving his J.D. from the University of Mississippi in 1985. Prior to joining the bench, Helfrich worked as a public defender and a prosecutor.
- Gay L. Polk-Payton. Payton has been a practicing attorney for 25 years, and has served as a Forrest County Justice Court judge and a City of Hattiesburg Municipal judge. She also has served as an advocate in the Forrest County Public Defenders’ Office, the Perry County Public Defenders’ Office, the 12th Judicial District Drug Court, the City of Hattiesburg Public Defenders’ Office and at Polk-Payton Law Office as a general practice private attorney.
Circuit Court Judge District 12, Place 2 (Nonpartisan)
- Jon Mark Weathers. Weathers was elected in the general election in November 2015. He began practicing civil law after graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Law School.
Forrest County Prosecutor
- Jack Denton, Independent. Denton attended Biloxi High School and then Southern Miss where he received a BA in Speech Communication and a MS in Public Relations before going to law school at Michigan State University.
- Mary Lee Holmes, Independent. Holmes was appointed in November 2021 to replace former prosecutor David Myers, who passed away in October of that year.
Forrest County School Board District 1 (Nonpartisan)
- Karen Vines. Vines serves as principal at Dixie Attendance Center and also has been assistant principal in the Forrest County School District.
Forrest County School Board District 2 (Nonpartisan)
Petal School Board (Nonpartisan)
- Lacey C. Bolling. Bolling is running to replace current board chairman Bruce Magee, who is not running for re-election this year.
LAMAR COUNTY
United States House of Representatives, 4th Congressional District
- Johnny L. DuPree, Democrat DuPree served as the mayor of Hattiesburg for 16 years, from 2001 to 2017. He also has served on the Forrest County Board of Supervisors and as a member of board of directors for the Hattiesburg Public School District.
- Mike Ezell, Republican Ezell defeated longtime representative Steven Palazzo in the recent Republican primary election. He currently serves as the sheriff of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
- Alden Patrick Johnson, Libertarian. Johnson currently serves as a firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician and is a native of Jackson.
Court of Appeals, District 5, Position 2 (Nonpartisan)
- Joel Smith. Smith is running in a special election to replace Sean Tindell, who resigned in May 2020 to become the Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner.
Chancery Court Judge District 10, Place 1 (Nonpartisan)
Chancery Court Judge District 10, Place 2 (Nonpartisan)
- Rhea H. Sheldon. Sheldon was appointed by former Gov. Phil Bryant in 2016 to fill the vacany created when Dawn Beam left the position to be a member of the Mississippi Supreme Court. Prior to her appointment, she was an attorney in private practice; she also has served as a judicial law clerk for the Mississippi Supreme Court.
Chancery Court Judge District 10, Place 3 (Nonpartisan)
- Sheila Havard Smallwood. Smallwood has been chancellor since 2019; prior to that, she served at the Smallwood Law Firm in Hattiesburg. She also has served as Forrest County District Court Judge and Petal Municipal Court Judge.
Chancery Court Judge District 10, Place 4 (Nonpartisan)
- Chad Smith. Smith graduated from Copiah-Lincoln Community College and earned a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University. He earned a law degree from Mississippi College School of Law.
Circuit Court Judge District 15, Place 1 (Nonpartistan)
- Anthony A. Mozingo. Mozingo recently announced his retirement to serve as executive director of Homes of Hope for Children, but will serve in the judgeship until January 1.
Circuit Court Judge District 15, Place 2 (Nonpartisan)
- Prentiss G. Harrell. Harrell was first elected to the court in 2007. Harrell earned an undergraduate degree from William Carey College in 1979. He went on to receive his J.D. from the Mississippi College School of Law in 1986.
Circuit Court Judge District 15, Place 3 (Nonpartisan)
- Claiborne “Buddy” McDonald. McDonald was elected without opposition to the Fifteenth Judicial District in 2015.
Lamar County Court Judge
- Brad A. Touchstone. Touchstone is a former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives, where he represented District 101. He left that office after winning election as Lamar County Judge in 2018.
School Board Member District B
School Board Member District D
- Lance LeFan. LeFan was sworn in during a May ceremony, taking the place of former District D member, who resigned to take a job position in the Jackson/Rankin County area.
- Ray Anthony Payton
State of Mississippi beer, wine and light spirits referendum. This measure will decide whether to allow the sale, storage and distribution of the aforementioned items in the county.
