Jackson Free Press

Darrel McQuirter and Tony Greer's walloping of their opponents for two seats on the Hinds County Board of Supervisors could be a game changer for the five-member board.

Unofficial results show that McQuirter, the director of the county's planning and zoning division, bested current interim Supervisor Alphonso Hunter 74.5 percent to Hunter's 24.2 percent to serve out the remainder of late Supervisor Doug Anderson's term.

McQuirter was the Democrat in the race; Hunter sought the seat as an Independent.

Tony Greer, a Clinton alderman and Republican, secured the District 4 slot vacated when Phil Fisher won election as mayor of Clinton this summer. Despite the presence of four contenders that raised the possibility of a runoff, Greer collected 70 percent of the vote to Democrat James "Lap" Baker's 17 percent.

Two Independents—James Ira Duke and Dan Smith—garnered about 13 percent of votes together in the special election where turnout was low, with just 13.7 percent of the 63,222 registered voters casting ballots Nov. 5.

The race took a divisive turn in the days preceding the election as flyers attempting to paint McQuirter as an agent of the Tea Party and Ku Klux Klan began showing up around town. The flyers zeroed in on McQuirter's ties to Clinton Republicans, whom the flyers called racist. McQuirter and Hunter denounced the flyers.

Throughout his campaign, McQuirter did tout his support from Clinton officials with whom he worked during his time as a city of Clinton employee. These included Fisher and former Mayor Rosemary Aultman.

Greer also expressed optimism for McQuirer's bid. Overnight, Greer posted a photograph of himself and McQuirter and a message that states: "Victory! … This picture says it all. Darrel McQuirter for Supervisor District 2 and I won our races. He got 76% and I got 70%. Both mandates."

The election will likely tip the scales of power on the board of supervisors, where board President Robert Graham and Vice President Kenneth Stokes now run the show. Along with Hunter, the three men have had the votes to do whatever they want on spending as well as on hiring and firing of employees.

Hunter had the support of District 5's Stokes, who, along with his wife, Jackson Councilwoman LaRita Cooper-Stokes, have created an effective turnout machine in Ward 3, part of which lies in Hinds County's District 2.

District 2 also represents a crucial swing vote on the county board, where Stokes and Graham are often allied and the District 4 supervisor often allies with Peggy Hobson Calhoun of District 3.