Mississippi Supreme Court Upholds Order for Special Election in Pearl River County Tax Assessor Race Read more at: htt
The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s ruling that mandates a special election in two precincts for the Republican primary runoff for Pearl River County tax collector/assessor, citing uncertainty in the election outcome due to illegal votes.
The high court affirmed the Circuit Court of Pearl River County’s December 2023 decision to vacate the certification of Jo Lynn Houston, who was initially declared the winner by a two-vote margin over opponent Sandy Kane Smith.
According to the ruling, two individuals cast illegal ballots after voting in the Democratic primary and then participating in the Republican runoff, violating Mississippi election law. Additionally, both parties acknowledged that one vote in the Carriere 5 precinct—cast for Smith—had not been counted in the certified results.
As a result, the trial court ordered a special election in the Picayune Southside 1 and Picayune 2 precincts, where the illegal votes were cast. The Mississippi Supreme Court concluded that the two-vote margin, combined with two illegal votes, created sufficient doubt about the will of the electorate.
https://picayuneitem.com/2025/06/mississippi-supreme-court-upholds-order-for-special-election-in-pearl-river-county-tax-assessor-race/