Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Special elections are being held Tuesday to fill two Mississippi Senate seats that have been vacant since the summer.

One of the races has nine candidates and could go to a Nov. 23 runoff.

The Senate District 32 seat became vacant when Democratic Sen. Sampson Jackson stepped down June 30. Jackson said he was ready to retire after a long career in state government, which included 29 years in Senate after more than 10 years with the Department of Transportation.

Senate District 32 includes all of Kemper County and parts of Lauderdale, Noxubee and Winston counties in eastern Mississippi. Those on the ballot Tuesday are W.J. Coleman, Stan Copeland, James Creer, Justin Curtis Creer, Minh Duong, Rod Hickman, Kim Houston, Keith K. Jackson and Bradley Joseph Sudduth. Jackson is the son of the retired senator.

The other special election Tuesday is in Senate District 38, which has all of Wilkinson County and parts of Adams, Amite, Pike and Walthall counties in the southwestern corner of the state. Democratic Sen. Tammy Witherspoon resigned June 30 and was sworn in the next day as mayor of Magnolia.

The two candidates in District 38 are Gary Brumfield and Kelvin E. Butler. Butler held the seat before Witherspoon.

Candidates in Mississippi special elections run without party labels. No matter who wins, these elections will not change the balance of power in the 52-member Senate, where Republicans already hold a wide majority.

The four-year legislative term expires in early 2024.