Forty-five individuals — 29 Democrats, 14 Republicans and two independents — formally launched their respective election campaigns after qualifying for 18 elected Oktibbeha County positions.
In the county’s biggest logjam, 12 candidates are running for the county’s three justice court judge seats, while 14 are running for Oktibbeha’s five supervisor positions.
District 3’s justice court race drew the largest number of competitors — six — while four others are contesting District 2’s supervisor post.
Incumbents of Oktibbeha’s key administrative positions, including tax assessor, circuit clerk and chancery clerk, also face re-election campaigns.
Two Miss. Legislative districts covering portions of the county — House District 43 and Senate District 15 — also feature races between high-profile candidates, and a challenger to the area’s district attorney also emerged before Friday’s qualification deadline.
Miss. House District 43
■ Paul Millsaps
Democrat
Age: 62
Millsaps, a life-long Starkville resident and former owner of Millsaps Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick and GMC, is an attorney.
■ Rob Roberson
Republican
Age: 46
Roberson is a Starkville lawyer who previously served as Miss. House District 37’s representative from 1999-2004.
■ Mac Smith
Republican
Age: 54
Smith is the general manager of The Little Dooey in Starkville and the scorekeeper for Mississippi State University baseball and volleyball games.
Miss. Senate District 15
■ Gary Jackson
Republican
Age: 64
Jackson, a reverend, was elected to his post in 2003.
■ Cecil Simmons
Democrat
Age: 68
Simmons, who lives in Webster County, served in the Miss. House of Representatives for almost 30 years.
District attorney
■ Forrest Allgood
Independent
Age: N/A
A Columbus native, Allgood has held the District 16 position since 1989.
■ Scott Colom
Democrat
Age: N/A
Colom serves as Columbus’ prosecutor and is a native of Lowndes County.
District 1 Supervisor
■ John Montgomery
Republican
Age: 37
A first-term supervisor and Starkville firefighter, Montgomery secured his seat by beating Democrat Carl Clardy in the 2011 general election.
■ Donald Thompson
Democrat
Age: 61
Thompson is a retired rural mail carrier.
District 2 Supervisor
■ Robert “Bubba” Gray Jr.
Independent
Age: 55
A former District 2 candidate, Gray operates a farm in southeastern Oktibbeha County and is one of two local independents in this year’s races.
■ Gene Autry Perry
Democrat
Age: 65
A former District 2 candidate, Perry has worked in the construction industry for years
■ Tremell Orlando Sherman
Democrat
Age: 30
A former District 2 candidate, Sherman works in the insurance field.
■ Orlando Trainer
Democrat
Age: 40
Trainer, the longest-serving member and president of the board of supervisors, has represented District 2 for more than a decade.
District 3 Supervisor
■ Dennis “Denny” Daniels
Republican
Age: 44
A former local law enforcement agent and Mississippi Army National Guard veteran, Daniels narrowly lost his 2011 bid for District 3 supervisor by three votes.
■ Marvell Howard
Democrat
Age: 55
Howard is the past president of the board of supervisors and a U.S. Army veteran.
District 4 Supervisor
■ Bart Gregory
Republican
Age: 38
Gregory serves as an assistant athletic director for annual giving with Mississippi State University’s Bulldog Club and as a sports broadcaster with the SEC Network.
■ Daniel Jackson
Democrat
Age: 34
Jackson is a former high school history and science teacher who approaches his position as a full-time job.
■ Bricklee Miller
Republican
Age: 46
Miller serves as the facility director for the Miss. Horse Park.
District 5 Supervisor
■ Sylvester “Dewayne” Davis
Democrat
Age: 46
Davis is an 18-year veteran of Starkville Fire Department.
■ Ernest Rogers Jr.
Democrat
Age: 27
Rogers is employed by the Lowndes County School District.
■ Joe Williams
Democrat
Age: 62
Williams, a first-term supervisor, defeated District 5’s previous representative, John Young, in 2011’s Democratic primary.
Circuit Clerk
■ Michael Jason Campbell
Republican
Age: 39
Campbell, a self-described blue-collar worker, is a U.S. Army veteran.
■ E. Regina Evans
Democrat
Age: 61
Evans has worked for years as a chief deputy within the circuit clerk’s office.
■ Glenn Hamilton
Republican
Age: 59
Hamilton, a former state senator and Miss. State Parole Board chairman, won his first term as circuit clerk in 2011.
Chancery Clerk
■ Monica Banks
Democrat
Age: 57
Banks was elected Oktibbeha County’s first African-American chancery clerk in 1995.
■ Michael Womack
Republican
Age: 28
Womack has previously worked as a paramedic for area medical institutions.
Tax assessor/collector
■ John S. Brown
Republican
Age: 58
Brown is employed with the state of Mississippi and is connected to the Miss. National Guard.
■ Allen Morgan
Republican
Age: 60
Morgan, who previously worked for 29 years with the Miss. Tax Commission, was elected to his first term in 2011.
Sheriff
■ George Carrithers
Republican
Age: 60
Carrithers served as Oktibbeha County’s chief deputy for decades under former Sheriff Dolph Bryan.
■ Steve Gladney
Democrat
Age: 58
Gladney, who won his first election in 2011, served almost 30 years with the Miss. Highway Patrol.
District 1 justice court judge
■ William “Tony” Boykin Jr.
Democrat
Age: 72
Boykin, District 1’s incumbent justice court judge, was last opposed in the 2007 Democratic primary.
■ Jessi Collier
Democrat
Age: 20
Collier is a third-year Mississippi State University student studying foreign language, chemistry and international finance.
■ Gay Lynn Williams
Democrat
Age: 43
Williams works as a clerk within the justice court administration.
District 2 justice court judge
■ Larnzy Carpenter Jr.
Democrat
Age: 52
Carpenter, a former U.S. Marine, is a reverend who has served as a county law enforcement agent.
■ W. Bernard Crump
Democrat
Age: 78
Crump, District 2’s incumbent justice court judge, last faced an opponent in 2007’s general election.
■ Kennedy Neal
Democrat
Age: 52
Neal has served as OCH Regional Medical Center’s director of environmental services since 1982.
District 3 justice court judge
■ C. Martin Haug
Democrat
Age: 37
Haug is a local Starkville attorney and the only lawyer running for justice court judge.
■ W.L. “Will” Hutchinson
Democrat
Age: 51
Hutchinson, a former candidate for supervisor, works with Oktibbeha County’s road department and previously served as Sturgis’ police chief.
■ Buddy Johnston
Republican
Age: 63
A former District 3 justice court judge candidate, Johnston last ran in 2011’s general election.
■ James “Jim” Mills
Democrat
Age: 78
Mills, District 3’s incumbent, secured his seat in 2003.
■ Hardy Mitchell
Independent
Age: 62
Mitchell, one of two local independent candidates on Oktibbeha County’s ballot, owns Shipley Do-Nuts.
■ Cheikh Taylor
Democrat
Age: 41
Taylor is the executive director of the non-profit Brickfire project and part owner of Level III, a Main Street entertainment venue.
Coroner
■ Doug Hamilton
Republican
Age: 57
Hamilton, a 32-year veteran of the Miss. Highway Patrol, serves as Sturgis’ police chief.
■ Michael Hunt
Democrat
Age: 48
Hunt, who took office in 1996, was named Coroner of the Year in 2006.
■ Chris Pollan
Republican
Age: 41
A licensed funeral director and embalmer, Pollan has spent a decade examining financial institutions as a forensic and fraud specialist.
District 2 constable
■ Tim Cook
Republican
Age: 38
Cook, an Army National Guard veteran, has served with both Starkville Police Department and Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department.
■ Curtis Randle
Democrat
Age: 49
Serving more than a decade in both the Miss. National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve, Randle, who took office in 1996, has also served as a law enforcement agent and firefighter.
■ Andre Quinn
Democrat
Age: 35
Quinn has served as a law enforcement agent with both the city and county.
Incumbents
Circuit Judge: Glenn Hamilton
Chancery Judge: Monica Banks
District 2 Constable: Curtis D. Randle
Coroner: Michael Hunt
District 1 Supervisor: John Montgomery
District 2 Supervisor: Orlando Trainer
District 3 Supervisor: Marvell Howard
District 4 Supervisor: Daniel Jackson
District 5 Supervisor: Joe Williams
District 1 Justice Court Judge: Tony Boykin
District 2 Justice Court Judge: W. Bernard Crump
District 3 Justice Court Judge: Jim Mills
Sheriff: Steve Gladney
Tax assessor: Allen Morgan
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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