More residents took part in Tuesday’s runoff election to determine the person to fill the vacant Ward Six position on the Laurel City Council than participated in the Feb. 11 special election.
The Laurel City Council in January set Feb. 11 as the date of the special election to fill the unexpired term of Ward Six Councilman Travares Comegys, who has been elected and is serving as the Jones County Supervisor for Beat Five.
Then, the city began the election process and three Ward Six residents qualified. However, following the Feb. 11th election, two top-vote getters Grace Amos and Ira Martin were declared candidates in a runoff election, which was conducted on Tuesday.
City Clerk Mary Ann Hess said the complete results from the March 3rd election were: Amos received 110 votes and Martin received 79 votes, making Amos the winner.
Hess noted that both candidates received more votes Tuesday than they had three weeks earlier.
In the Feb. 11th election, Amos received 81 votes, Martin received 44 votes and Benjamin Winpigler received 38 votes.
“Tuesday’s turnout was 189 votes, which was more than last time,” Hess said. “Both candidates really got out and worked. They both received more votes this time, which is unusual for a runoff election.”
Officials said state law required the city to have an election within 45 days of the vacancy on the city council being declared.
Comegys, in a letter of resignation dated December 13, 2019, resigned his position as City Councilman of Ward 6 due to his recent election.
Mississippi Code dictates that when a vacancy occurs in an elective municipal office, and the unexpired term exceeds six months, the governing authorities must enter an order on the official minutes requiring an election to be held in the municipality to fill the vacancy and fixing a date upon which such election will be held.