By John Howell Sr.

Political contests remaining for municipal seats in Como apparently vanished last week when two independent candidates withdrew from the election.

Forster Ruhl, who presently serves as alderman-at-large, withdrew as an independent candidate for Alderman, Ward Two.

Mark Lipscomb, seeking to replace Ruhl in the at-large position, also withdrew from the General Election.

The Ward Two alderman post is being vacated by Alderman Bill Mitchell, who did not seek re-election.

Rachel Powell was unopposed in the Tuesday primary in her bid as Democratic nominee for Alderman Ward Two. Powell is now unopposed in the June 4 General Election and will take office July 1.

Lipscomb was to have faced John Walton in the June 4 General Election. Walton had been unopposed last Tuesday in his bid to become Democratic nominee for the alderman-at-large position. Walton is now also unopposed in the June 4 General Election and will be sworn in July 1.

In the May 7 Democratic Primary election, incumbent Ward 1 Alderman Clark Gregory was defeated by former alderman Tonia Heard, 41 to 28 votes. Heard faces no further opposition for the Ward One post.

Incumbent Mayor Everette Hill handily won re-election in the Democratic Primary, gathering 57 percent of the votes against opponent Mike Sumner, 329 votes to 251. Hill has no General Election opponent. Ward Three Alderman Ruby Higgenbottom and Ward Four Alderman Teresa Dishmon were both unopposed in the primary and General Election and will be sworn in for new terms that begin July 1.

In 2007 Ruhl was first sworn into office as alderman-at-large after a two-year court battle over 38 contested absentee ballots that started following the 2005 municipal elections. Walton was declared winner of the alderman-at-large post in that election and in another ordered for January, 2006, by the Panola County Circuit Court. Ruhl challenged the Circuit Court’s decision and in July 2007, Ruhl took office after the state Supreme Court agreed with his appeal.