Jackson Free Press

Terry P. Johnson has lived his entire life in the Fifth Supervisors District of Hinds County.

He has the experience necessary to conduct the general and special elections in an honest, timely, impartial manner and to keep the lists of registered voters of up-to-date and available.

His educational degrees include a B. M. degree (music education) from William Carey College in Hattiesburg, an M. M. degree (organ performance) from Mississippi College in Clinton, and an M. E. degree (secondary education with emphasis on English) from Mississippi College. Additional training has been completed at Jackson State University in Jackson.

In elections, he worked for twenty years as a poll manager. For the past seven years, he has been hired by the Democratic Party to coordinate its primary elections. For these elections, he has hired qulified the candidates, approximately five-hundred poll managers and additional staff, designed the ballots, corresponded with the hosts of the polling places, organized the supplies, and certified the results.

As the chairperson of the municipal election commissioner for the past twelve years, he has also completed the above tasks and, in addition, has been responsible for the voter rolls and the purging of the roles.

Three years ago, he was elected by the Mississippi Democratic Executive Committee as the co-chairperson of the Elections Sub-committee. Acting in that capacity, he has conducted training sessions for poll managers in Hinds, Holmes, and Scott Counties.

He has been elected to represent the Fifth District on the Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee for four consecutive terms. He has previously served as the co-chairperson of its Affimative Action Sub-committee. He has also served as a special advisor to the Young Democrats of Mississippi - Hinds County chapter.

He is a member of ECAM (Election Commissioners Association of Mississippi), Galloway Memorial United Methodist Church, and the Jackson chapter of the NAACP.

He is presently the organist for the (Episcopal) Church of the Good Shepherd in Terry and the First Presbyterian Church in Hazlehurst. He previously served as the organist at the Terry United Methodist Church, where he was the church treasurer and Sunday School superintendent.

He is an adjunct instructor of Belhaven College in Jackson and the interim librarian of the Power Academic and Performing Arts Center in Jackson.

A former dean of the Jackson Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), he has performed concerts in Hinds, Copiah, Forrest, Simpson Counties and Tangipahoa Parrish, Louisiana. He has also performed in two operas and numerous dramatic productions, a number of combined community services, and has composed and performed music for silent movies. His writings have appeared in a variety of Mississippi publications.

He has been fortunate enough to be an active volunteer for the Radio Reading Service (since its first year of existance), International Ballet Competition, New American Freedom Summer, March of Dimes, Mississippi Museum of Art, Jubilee JAM (since its first year of existance), Terry High School, Perryman Elementary School, Mississippi Education Television, Friends of Terry, Carey Children's Street Theatre, Playhouse North, the Jackson-Hinds Library System, Glories of Baroque Dresden exhibit, Mississippi Department of Health, Multiple Sclerosis Society of America, and other organizations.

His decision to enter the race was decided after prayerful consideration. He has the experience, knowledge, and wisdom to conduct the general and special elections of both judicial districts of Hinds County in the manner which the voters deserve. Anyone who has business with the Election Commission will be treated with respect and dignity. His entire philosphy as a public servant has been the example of the Golden Rule found in the New Testiment. The amount of time between the closing of the polls and the certifications of the winners will be timely. The public will be informed of the Commission's meetings with enough time to plan to attend. He is an advocate of extending the hours that the Commission's office is open to the public and of conducting open meetings at times when most of the public is able to attend. He is also a strong advocate of the plan which allows qualified high school students to work at the polls on Election Days and proposes that they addtionally be allowed to work in preparation of the elections. He will strive to increase the number of registered voters and to increase the participation of the voters on the Election Days.

Your vote on November 2 will be greatly appreciated!

Bio provided by candidate

Incumbent Democrat Lelia Gaston Rhodes, 76, has been an election commissioner for Hinds County since 1993 and is seeking her fourth term. She points to the fact that she has conducted workshops on new voting machines, as well as purged voter rolls—duties required of this position. But she is faced with two impressive opponents, both extremely energetic (both stayed to the very end of the JFP Voter Rally, through lots of loud music, to speak passionately to the crowd). Green Party member Jan Hillegas, 61, believes that several reforms are in order for the voting process in Mississippi. In addition to supporting automatic voting rights for ex-felons who have completed their sentences and court supervision, she supports moving to Instant Runoff Voting, where 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., preferences are recorded in one time at the polls, saving money because "no separate runoff is needed." Though she has never been an election commissioner, she promises to stay in close contact with citizens to enact the changes they want in the voting system. Democrat Terry P. Johnson, 48, has worked for 20 years as a poll worker. For the past seven years, he has worked with the Democratic Party to coordinate its primary elections. For these elections, he has hired 500 poll managers and additional staff, designed the ballots, corresponded with the hosts of the polling places, organized the supplies and certified the results.

Hillegas endorsed by the JFP