Sept. 13, 2011
With less than two months before the Nov. 8 general election, two Hinds County races are still in question.
Gay Polk, who ran for the District 73 seat in the state House of Representatives, filed a formal challenge against Democratic opponent Brad Oberhousen after the Aug. 2 primary. The Democratic Executive Committee certified the final results last month showing that Oberhousen received 2,103 votes, or 51.09 percent, to Polk's 2,013, or 48.91 percent. Polk said that her name had been left off the ballot at the Wynndale and Dry Grove precincts. Polk said today that she received a letter from Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee Chairman Claude McInnnis Monday stating that the committee could not grant a revote. She said she plans to file a lawsuit against the county.
"The letter states that an unfortunate and regrettable error occurred in House District 73, the Dry Grove precinct, during the primary. However, the Hinds County Democratic Committee certified the election in good faith," Polk said. "Basically, my next option is to go to court."
Oberhousen, 33, is a Jackson attorney. He earned his bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University in 2000 and his law degree from Mississippi College in 2002. The Terry resident has said he will continue to campaign for the Nov. 8 election.
Tomorrow, candidates for Hinds County constable for District 4 will go before the Hinds County Election Commission for a hearing to determine whether Democratic candidate Leon Jones lives within the district's boundaries.
Incumbent Constable Jon Lewis claims that Jones does not live in District 4, and that his house, located at 4036 Military Road in Raymond, is actually 200-300 yards in District 2.
Lewis' attorney John Reeves said the Hinds County Election Commission mistakenly qualified Jones.
"What happened is that election commission mistakenly put his registration in District 4 but that doesn't matter," Reeves said. "The mistake in putting voter registration in wrong district doesn't allow him to seek public office in the wrong district."
Jackson attorney Sam Begley, who is representing Jones, said that he is reviewing Central Mississippi Planning and Development District, and Mississippi Department of Transportation maps and believes that Jones is a District 4 resident.
"I am investigating the matter to confirm what Mr. Jones has told me," Begley said.
Dennery to Replace Davis
Republican John Dennery will replace Roger C. Davis in the Hinds County Supervisors race for District 1 against incumbent Robert Graham.
The Hinds County Republican Executive Committee confirmed the former Jackson restaurateur as the Republican candidate supervisor's race this week.
Republican candidate Roger C. Davis confirmed last week that he dropped out of the race for Hinds County District 1 supervisor against incumbent Robert Graham.
Davis is the managing partner at Woodbridge Capital Financial Portfolio Management, a financial firm in Jackson. "My partner's wife has been diagnosed with a serious illness so my responsibilities at work are exponentially more demanding than when I filed to run," Davis said. "The party is aware of my situation."
Dennery issued the following statement yesterday:
"I'm excited about the opportunity to restore the people's faith in our board of supervisors. Our county suffers from a lack of transparency that has led to no-bid contracts and backroom deals. If I'm elected those deals will stop."
Graham and McInnis were not immediately available for comment.
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