DeSoto County Election Results: Early Unofficial Count

HERNANDO, Miss. — Early DeSoto County election results released Tuesday night show Republican incumbents U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly leading in the county, while a Chancery Court race in Subdistrict 17-1 is separated by a single vote. The figures come from the DeSoto County Election Commission’s unofficial summary report, which showed 29 of 47 Election Day precincts reporting when it was posted Tuesday night, Nov. 3.

These numbers are unofficial and incomplete. Totals will change as the remaining precincts report, and the results are not final until they are certified. The county report does not declare winners, and the federal races shown here reflect DeSoto County ballots only, not statewide or district-wide totals.

DeSoto County Election Results: Turnout So Far

According to the summary report, 25,493 ballots had been counted out of 119,801 registered voters, a partial turnout of 21.28 percent. That figure will rise as more precincts are added. Voters at some locations, including a College Road precinct in Olive Branch, reported long lines during the day.

U.S. Senate and U.S. House

• U.S. Senate: Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) 13,790 (54.28%); D. Scott Colom (D) 10,867 (42.77%); Ty Pinkins (I) 710 (2.79%); write-ins 40.
• U.S. House, 1st District: Trent Kelly (R) 14,471 (56.99%); Cliff Johnson (D) 10,432 (41.09%); Johnny Baucom (L) 462 (1.82%); write-ins 25.

Judicial Races in DeSoto County

Mississippi judicial races are nonpartisan. Several contested races were on the ballot:

• Court of Appeals, District 1, Position 1 (special election): John Weddle 12,184 (53.51%); Derek Dewayne Hopson Jr. 10,293 (45.21%).
• Chancery Court, District 17, Place 2: William “Ty” Scott 13,600 (59.87%); Elizabeth “Beth” Owens 8,925 (39.29%).
• Chancery Court, Subdistrict 17-1, Place 3: Gwen Baptist 1,387 (49.64%); Malenda Harris Meacham 1,386 (49.61%). This race appears only in select precincts, and only one vote separated the candidates in the report.
• Circuit Court, District 21, Place 1: Joseph “Jody” Neyman 12,658 (56.55%); Gordon Shaw Jr. 9,520 (42.53%).
• Circuit Court, Subdistrict 21-1, Place 4: John Hughes 1,678 (60.47%); Lucius Edwards 1,072 (38.63%).

Unopposed candidates on the ballot included Donna M. Barnes (Court of Appeals, District 1, Position 2), Vicki Daniels (Chancery, Place 1), Craig Treadway (Circuit, Place 2), W. Douglas Hollowell III (Circuit, Place 3), and Allen B. Couch Jr. (County Court Judge, Place 1). Each had about 98 percent of the vote, with the rest going to write-ins.

County Attorney, Justice Court and School Board

• County Attorney (special election): Tori Williams, unopposed, 20,953 (99.03%).
• Justice Court Judge, District 1: Robert “Billy” Johnson 1,228 (65.42%); James Earl Woodard 641 (34.15%).
• School Board, District 5: Charles Barton 6,419 (72.23%); Rebeca Tello 2,421 (27.24%).

What Is Still Unknown

Eighteen Election Day precincts had not been included when this report was posted. The report does not say how many absentee or affidavit ballots remain. The one-vote margin in the Chancery Place 3 race means its outcome could change with the remaining count, and very close races can also be affected by affidavit ballots that are reviewed after Election Day. DeSoto County News will update these results as the county releases new reports.

For background on the candidates and offices, see our DeSoto County Election Day guide and our look at the judicial races on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Source: DeSoto County Election Commission unofficial results summary