Mississippi down ballot state executive elections, 2011
- 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:
- Mississippi Treasurer
- Mississippi State Auditor
- Mississippi Public Service Commission (3 seats)
- Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance
- Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce
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 | 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 | 53% | ||
Republican Party | Lee Yancey | 47% | |
Total Votes | 156,006 |
Republican primary
Treasurer -- Republican primary results | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
Republican Party | 38% | ||
Republican Party | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 |
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 | 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 |
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 | 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 |
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 | 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 | 50% | ||
Democratic Party | Thomas Blanton | 50% | |
Total Votes | 83,748 |
Democratic primary
Public Service -- Democratic primary results | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
Democratic Party | 38% | ||
Democratic Party | 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 |
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
- Statewide elections, 2011
- State executive official elections, 2011
- Mississippi gubernatorial election, 2011
- Mississippi lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2011
- Mississippi secretary of state election, 2011
- Mississippi attorney general election, 2011
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed February 6, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ The Republic, "Miss. Supreme Court won't hear O'Hara's request to run for 2 offices in 2011 Miss. election," July 29, 2011
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Y’all Politics, "Predictions for the 2011 primaries," July 25, 2011
- ↑ Clarion Ledger, “Treasurer: Fitch is best GOP choice,” July 28, 2011
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Election 2011 Runoff Results," accessed November 3, 2011
- ↑ Clarion Ledger, "Ag commissioner: Phillips best choice," July 27, 2011
- ↑ Majority in Mississippi, "Friday Afternoon Election Notebook," July 29, 2011
- ↑ Y’all Politics, "Greenwood Commonwealth Endorses Boyce Adams for PSC," July 28, 2011
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "November 2007 General Election Results," accessed July 10, 2011
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Election 2011 Runoff Results," accessed November 3, 2011
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