Less than a month remains to enter Oxford’s city election 2017

Published 10:45 am Tuesday, February 7, 2017

With less than a month to qualify to run in the city’s June elections, all ward and the mayor seats are uncontested thus far.

Candidates wishing to run for office in June for a seat on the Oxford Board of Aldermen or for mayor of Oxford, have until March 3 to file a statement of intent to run.

All but one incumbent alderman have filed their statements to run again in June to hold their seats on the board. Ward 2 Alderman Robyn Tannehill instead announced she would be running for mayor. Mayor Pat Patterson announced in December he would not be seeking re-election.

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Mark Huelse, co-owner of Something Southern, qualified to run for Ward 2 alderman in January.

According to Oxford City Clerk Ashley Atkinson, no one else has filed their paperwork to run in the aldermen election other than the incumbents and Huelse. Tannehill is so far the only person running for mayor.

Traditionally, many have waited for the last week of the qualification period to register to run in past elections.

Candidates for mayor and the alderman positions have until 5 p.m. March 3 to file their statement of intent. If a primary is needed, it will be held on May 2 with a runoff, if needed, on May 16.  The general election will be on June 6.

Candidates must also pay a $10 filing fee to the city clerk, which will be given to the prospective political party executive committee. Independent candidates must gain 50 signatures from those living in the ward to which the candidate is running for a seat in.

Candidates must be a registered voter in the ward they are running — except the “at large” seat — never been convicted of a crime punishable by a prison sentence or convicted of a felony. Candidates must also file their campaign finance reports periodically.

Six aldermen will be elected from the city’s six voting wards and a seventh alderman will be elected at large as a representative for the entire city. Aldermen and the mayor are elected to a four-year term.

Potential candidates may pick up the necessary form at City Hall or by downloading it from the Mississippi Secretary of State Web site, www.sos.state.ms.us/elections.