Politics and patriotism will be on display July 4 at the Starkville Sportsplex.
Prior to the fireworks display at 9 p.m., the Independence Day celebration will feature two solid hours of comments from Oktibbeha County candidates, plus a few state hopefuls.
Starting at 6 p.m., 26 Oktibbeha candidates will be given five minutes each to speak directly to the voting public. Following the final local candidate, candidates for state district attorney, secretary of state and governor will speak.
Sample ballots are available now from the circuit clerk”s office, and absentee ballots should be available by July 1. Oktibbeha County Circuit Clerk Angie McGinnis said Tuesday the absentee ballot process was pushed back by the June 1 deadline for legislative qualifying, and the Democratic Party didn”t meet until June 11 to certify its candidates.
McGinnis reminds potential voters that the deadline to register or make changes to their voter registration record to vote in the Aug. 2 primary elections is noon on July 2. Citizens can register at the circuit clerk”s office or obtain a mail-in voter registration form from the Secretary of State website at www.sos.ms.gov.
Anyone who has registered previously in Oktibbeha County but changed their name or address within the county must update their voting information.
“This is a very important election year as we will be choosing candidates to represent us from the courthouse to the governor”s mansion. In this county we have some positions wherein the incumbent is not seeking reelection, so let”s get to know the new faces to politics and be informed voters,” said McGinnis.
She added her hope that Oktibbeha County will far exceed the low voter turnout exhibited in the 2007 elections.
Several candidates whose names appeared on the original list of county qualifiers withdrew from their respective races prior to June 1. The withdrawals include District 1 supervisor candidate Antonio Sudduth , District 5 supervisor candidate Randolph “Coach” Brooks and constable District 1 candidate Freddie Bardley.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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