Mississippi down ballot state executive elections, 2011

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2011
State Executive Official Elections

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Main article: Mississippi state executive official elections, 2011

Five down ballot state executive positions were up for election in Mississippi in 2011. The general election was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2011, following a primary on August 2, 2011. Runoffs took place on August 23 to determine the winners of primary races in which no candidate won at least 50 percent of the popular vote. A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Mississippi state law stipulates that an individual can only participate in a party's primary if he or she "intends to support the nominations made in the primary" in which he or she participates. However, this is generally considered an unenforceable requirement. Consequently, Mississippi's primary is effectively open.[1][2]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

The offices up for election were:

Treasurer

Republican Tate Reeves, the incumbent state treasurer, ran for lieutenant governor in 2011, leaving the seat open. In the general election contest, Republican Lynn Fitch defeated Democrat Connie Moran and Reform Party candidate Shawn O'Hara.

Race background

Democrat Connie Moran did not face a primary challenger, while Republican Lynn Fitch faced a primary and a runoff primary. Shawn O'Hara initially filed to run on the Democratic ticket, but was refused by the state Democratic Party executive committee as he was already a Reform Party candidate for governor. According to state law, a candidate can run for only one office at a time. O'Hara appealed the decision to the Mississippi Supreme Court, but his request was denied.[3] O'Hara eventually was removed from the gubernatorial ballot as he had also filed to run for treasurer as a Reform Party candidate.

A Republican primary took place on August 2. The candidates were Mississippi State Personnel Board Executive Director Lynn Fitch, adjunct law professor at Mississippi College Lucien Smith and freshman state Sen. Lee Yancey. Y’all Politics predicted that Smith would lead in votes, but that a runoff between him and one of the other two candidates would be necessary.[4] The Clarion-Ledger endorsed Fitch, citing her experience and qualifications.[5] Lynn Fitch and Lee Yancey met in a runoff for the Republican nomination on August 23. Fitch won with 53 percent of the vote.

Results

General election

Mississippi Treasurer, 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngLynn Fitch 58.8% 513,132
     Democratic Connie Moran 38.2% 333,267
     Reform Shawn O'Hara 3% 26,421
Total Votes 872,820
Election results via Mississippi Secretary of State


Republican runoff

Treasurer - Republican primary runoff results[6]
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party ApprovedaLynn Fitch 53%
     Republican Party Lee Yancey 47%
Total Votes 156,006


Republican primary

Treasurer -- Republican primary results
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party ApprovedaLynn Fitch 38%
     Republican Party ApprovedaLee Yancey 34%
     Republican Party Lucien Smith 29%
Total Votes 269,726

Democratic primary

Connie Moran ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Campaign media

Lynn Fitch
Lee Yancey
Lucien Smith

State Auditor

In the general election contest, incumbent Republican Stacey Pickering defeated Reform Party candidate Ashley Norwood.

Results

General election

Mississippi Auditor, 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngStacey Pickering Incumbent 75.6% 596,395
     Reform Ashley Norwood 24.4% 192,271
Total Votes 788,666
Election results via Mississippi Secretary of State


Republican primary

Incumbent Stacey Pickering ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Democratic primary

No candidates qualified for this office.

Commissioner of Insurance

In the general election contest, incumbent Republican Mike Chaney defeated Democrat Louis Fondren and Reform Party candidate Barbara Dale Washer.

Results

General election

Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance, 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMike Chaney Incumbent 62% 538,008
     Democratic Louis Fondren 34.7% 301,185
     Reform Barbara Dale Washer 3.4% 29,200
Total Votes 868,393
Election results via Mississippi Secretary of State


Republican primary

Incumbent Mike Chaney ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Democratic primary

Louis Fondren ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Campaign media

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce

Incumbent Lester Spell (R) opted to retire rather than seek re-election, leaving the seat open. In the general election, Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith defeated Democrat Joel Gill and Reform Party candidate Cathy L. Toole.

Race background

The Republican primary was a three-way contest between state Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, state Representative Dannie Reed and Max Phillips. Hyde-Smith won easily, taking 53 percent of the vote.

The Clarion-Ledger endorsed Phillips, while Hyde-Smith received the endorsement of retiring incumbent Lester Spell and Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan.[7][8]

Y’all Politics predicted incorrectly that Phillips would win a close race against Hyde-Smith.[4]

Democrat Joel Gill and Reform Party candidate Cathy L. Toole did not face primary opposition.

Results

General election

Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture, 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngCindy Hyde-Smith 56.9% 493,417
     Democratic Joel Gill 40.6% 352,213
     Reform Cathy L. Toole 2.5% 21,347
Total Votes 866,977
Election results via Mississippi Secretary of State


Republican primary

Commissioner of Agriculture -- Republican primary results
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith Approveda 53%
     Republican Party Rep. Dannie Reed 12%
     Republican Party Max Phillips 35%
Total Votes 268,421
Democratic primary

Joel Gill ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Campaign media

Public Service Commission (3 seats)

Northern District

Incumbent Democrat Brandon Presley defeated Republican Boyce Adams in the general election.

Race background

Two Republicans sought their party's nomination: Executive/Co-owner of BankTEL Systems Boyce Adams and Tea Party of Mississippi founding member Marvin Cox. Adams easily defeated Cox. Adams was endorsed by the Greenwood Commonwealth.[9]

Results

General election
Mississippi Public Service Commission (North/District 3), 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBrandon Presley Incumbent 55.8% 161,099
     Republican Boyce Adams 44.2% 127,557
Total Votes 288,656
Election results via Mississippi Secretary of State


Republican primary
Public Service -- Republican primary results
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party Boyce Adams Approveda 65%
     Republican Party Marvin Cox 35%
Total Votes 55,174
Democratic primary

Incumbent Brandon Presley ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Campaign media

Central District

Incumbent Republican Lynn Posey was unopposed for his party's nomination. Charles Barbour was slated to run but instead decided to run in Senate District 25. Posey was originally elected in 2007 as a Democrat, but switched parties in December 2010. He defeated Democrat Addie Green in the general election. Independent candidate Danny Ayers had originally filed to run, but his name did not appear on the November ballot.

Results

General election
Mississippi Public Service Commission (Central/District 1), 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngLynn Posey Incumbent 56.4% 157,675
     Democratic Addie Green 43.6% 121,653
Total Votes 279,328
Election results via Mississippi Secretary of State


Republican primary

Incumbent Lynn Posey ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Democratic primary
Public Service -- Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Democratic Party Addie Green Approveda 52%
     Democratic Party Bruce Burton 48%
Total Votes 102,433


Southern District

In a replay of the 2007 race, incumbent Republican Leonard Bentz defeated Democrat Mike Collier in the November 8 general election.[10]

Race background

Democrats saw a three-way contest between Thomas Blanton, James Buckhaults and Mike Collier. Since no candidate received at least 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters, Blanton and Collier, met in a runoff on August 23. In an extremely close race, Collier won by 120 votes. Incumbent Bentz defeated Travis Rose to secure the Republican nomination.

Results

General election
Mississippi Public Service Commission (South/District 2), 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngLeonard Bentz Incumbent 60.1% 178,804
     Democratic Mike Collier 39.9% 118,813
Total Votes 297,617
Election results via Mississippi Secretary of State


Democratic primary runoff
Public Service - Democratic primary runoff results[11]
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Democratic Party ApprovedaMike Collier 50%
     Democratic Party Thomas Blanton 50%
Total Votes 83,748


Democratic primary
Public Service -- Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Democratic Party ApprovedaMike Collier 38%
     Democratic Party ApprovedaThomas Blanton 34%
     Democratic Party James Buckhaults 27%
Total Votes 98,274
Republican primary
Public Service -- Republican primary results
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party Leonard Bentz Approveda 56%
     Republican Party Travis Rose 44%
Total Votes 112,805


Key deadlines

Deadline Event
Mar. 1 Declaration of candidacy
June 18 Absentee voting begins for the primary election
July 2 Voter registration (in person) for the primary
July 3 Voter registration (postmark on a mailed application) for the primary
Aug. 2 Primary election
Aug. 23 Runoff primary election, if required
Sept. 2 Certification of results for primary
Sept. 24 Absentee voting begins for the general election
Oct. 8 Voter registration (in person) for the general election
Oct. 9 Voter registration (postmark on a mailed application) for the general election
Nov. 8 General election
Nov. 29 Runoff general election, if required
Dec. 8 Certification of results for general election

See also

Mississippi

External links

Footnotes