Two-thirds of the registered votes in Panola County took part in the General Election held Tuesday, Nov. 3, according to the unofficial summary report issued by the Circuit Clerk’s office. Of the 23,696 registered voters, some 15,618 cast ballots. About 2,774, or 18 percent, voted by absentee.

While 66.7 percent of the eligible voters countywide took part in the election, participation at the county’s 21 precincts varied greatly.  The highest level of voter turnout, by percentage, was at Tocowa Community Center where 744 of the 947 voters (78.6 percent) cast ballots. The lowest was Patton Lane where 980 of the 1,714 voters (57.2%) took part in the election.

The other voter totals for precincts across Panola County were:

Como Library – 1,117 (60%)

Union Fire Station – 463 (68.9%)

Sardis Courthouse – 997 (61%)

Sardis Lake FD – 253 (66.6%)

Pleasant Grove – 215 (73.7%)

Longtown Fire – 253 (67%)

Crenshaw – 375 (69.8%)

Macedonia/Concord – 772 (68%)

Cliff Finch Bldg. – 562 (54.8%)

Courtland Baptist – 1,169 (69.1%)

Pope City Hall – 878 (72.9%)

Crowder – 218 (67.7%)

Panola Ext. Bldg. – 573 (76.7%)

Eureka Community – 964 (70.9%)

Black Jack – 1,107 (67.7%)

Mt. Olivet FD – 937 (68.5%)

Batesville Courthouse – 1,889 (71%)

Enon – 130 (62.8%)

Sardis Library – 1,022 (62.4%)

 

In the race for President of the United States in Panola County, incumbent President Donald Trump received 7,976 votes to Joe Biden’s 7,276. Kanye West finished third in county voting with 48 ballots.

For U.S. Senate, Democrat Mike Espy got 7,822 votes in Panola compared to 7,350 for Republican and incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. In the statewide totals, Sen. Hyde-Smith easily beat Espy for the second time in three years, and will not have to run again until 2026. The margin of her win this election was approaching 10 points as final votes were being tallied Wednesday.

In the race for U.S. House of Representatives District 2, veteran Democratic Sen. Bennie Thompson won again by several percentage points, but the race in Panola County was close with Thompson getting 7,670 and Republican Brian Flowers getting 7,643 votes.

For Supreme Court Justice District 3 (Northern) Position 3, Josiah Coleman kept his seat, and in Panola beat challenger Percy Lynchard by a count of 7,059 to 6,495.

Locally, Election Commissioner Wayne Belk was challenged by Gloria Tucker for the post in District 3, and easily won the race 2,065 to 1,427.

The other four Election Commissioners were unchallenged. Their vote totals were:

Dorothy Kerney-Wilbourn – 2,351 (Dist. 1)

Julius Harris – 2,171 (Dist. 2)

Wanda Lawrence Carmichael – 2,925 (Dist. 4)

Kaye Smythe – 2,410 (Dist. 5)

There was one school board race for trustee – North Panola School District 2B – and the race was won 415 to 360 by incumbent Verna Hunter over Eddie Henderson.

Statewide Ballot Measure 1 (Medical Marijuana) passed overwhelmingly across Mississippi and was approved by a vote of 9,628 to 4,614 in Panola County. Further, Initiative 65 won over Initiative 65A by a vote of 8.082 to 4,256.

Statewide Ballot Measure 2 was approved by voters in all 82 counties and won 11,597 to 2,953 locally.

Statewide Ballot Measure 3 (State Flag) was approved 11,265 to 3,798.

All of the above vote totals include in-person poll voting and absentees ballots. The final numbers will be official once the election is certified by the county’s Election Commission and the results sent to the Secretary of State’s Office in Jackson.