Polls Open for Municipal Primaries Across The State

Citizens are going to the polls all across the state today to cast their ballots in municipal primaries. MPB’s Phoebe Judge has more,

It’s the final push, at republican candidate for Gulfport mayor George Schloegel's campaign headquarters.

“At this point we are just wrapping up loose ends.”

The scene at Schloegel headquarters is one that was mimicked at campaign headquarters all across the state yesterday, as republican and democratic candidates made their final attempts to win over voters before today’s municipal primary elections. A number of those races have garnered a considerable amount of attention, including the overwhelming number of Gulf Coast mayors who have chosen not to seek reelection, and the large field of democratic candidates including incumbent Frank Melton vying to be mayor of the capital city. But the real question even with widely publicized races is whether people will turnout at the pools says Sam Hall, executive director of Mississippi’s Democratic Party,

“Your municipal elections always have lower turnout than your state elections. That’s nothing new. It’s something the candidates focus real hard on trying to turn out voters.”

Brad White, chairman of the state’s Republican Party says it’s really those municipal leaders that have the biggest impact of citizens day to day lives,

“The mayor of your hometown is the one that makes sure that you have running water and that your garbage is getting picked up. So those races are particularly important to those individuals that might not have an interest in top ticket races.”

If needed runoffs will be held in two weeks, the general election is on June 2nd. Polls will be open today from 7am-7pm.