A Judge Voided the July 14 Hinds County Election Date
A Mississippi judge voided the scheduled July 14 special election for the Hinds County District 2 supervisor seat on June 19, 2026, leaving it to Gov. Tate Reeves to set a new date. Special Judge Barry Ford issued the amendment one day after candidate Anthony “Tony” Smith filed an appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court challenging Ford’s earlier ruling. As of June 22, Reeves had not announced a date.
Ford said in his amendment that he hopes Reeves will keep the July 14 date the Hinds County Election Commission had originally set. Mississippi law requires the governor or lieutenant governor to call special elections in situations like this one.
A 2023 Primary Loss Sparked Years of Litigation
The dispute traces to the 2023 Democratic primary, where incumbent supervisor David Archie lost to Smith by nearly two to one. Archie sued Smith and the Hinds County Democratic Party, alleging fraud and election tampering. That lawsuit has stretched across multiple years and court filings.
Ford’s original June 3 ruling ordered a special election after a review of 2023 ballot boxes turned up missing materials. Ford concluded the will of Hinds County voters could not be reliably determined from that original count.
The Supreme Court Appeal Adds Another Layer of Uncertainty
Smith’s attorney, Warren Martin, said he is confident the Mississippi Supreme Court will overturn Ford’s June 3 ruling. If the Supreme Court acts before Reeves sets a date, the timeline could shift again. Archie said his team is ready to compete. Smith said he “trusts the system.”
Hinds County is Mississippi’s most populous county and includes Jackson, the state capital. A contested supervisor seat affects county contracts, infrastructure spending, and local governance for hundreds of thousands of residents.
What You Can Do Now
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Call Gov. Tate Reeves’s office at (601) 359-3150 and ask his office to set the special election date promptly and publicly, keeping the previously scheduled July 14 date. Delays without explanation undermine voter access.
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Contact the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office at (601) 359-1350 and ask what voter education outreach is planned for Hinds County District 2 residents once a date is confirmed. Voters need adequate notice for a special election.
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Find your Hinds County District 2 polling location through the Mississippi Secretary of State’s voter portal at sos.ms.gov and confirm your registration is current before any date is set.
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Contact the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus at the Capitol, (601) 359-3770, and ask members to publicly urge the governor to act on the election date without delay, given the county’s history of voting access challenges.
Sources
Mississippi Today: Governor Will Set Hinds County Special Election Date
[Callout: July 14 election date voided. Special Judge Barry Ford amended ruling, shifted date-setting power to Gov. Reeves.
Mississippi Today]