The LAST DAY for ABSENTEE VOTING will be Saturday, April 29. Voters may come by Collins City Hall during regular hours or on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 12 noon to vote absentee.
The LAST DAY for ABSENTEE VOTING will be Saturday, April 29. Voters may come by Collins City Hall during regular hours or on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 12 noon to vote absentee.
Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, to cast their ballots in the primary municipal elections in the City of Collins. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. All voting in the city elections will take place at the Collins Civic Center.
A special write-in election is being held for the Ward Four Alderman’s seat left vacant upon the passing of Alderman Halbert Walker.
Candidates running the City of Collins Election are:
Mayor
V.O. Smith – Democrat
Hope Jones Magee – Democrat
Tom Brooks – Republican
Alderman At Large
Bobby A. Mooney – Democrat
Alderman Ward 1
Lester Magee – Democrat
Merria Lisa Speight – Democrat
Alderman Ward 2
Regina Daughdrill -Republican
Robert Thompson – Democrat
Alderman Ward 3
Johnathon L. Anderson – Democrat
Sally Buffington – Democrat
Ray Magee – Democrat
Alderman Ward 4
Ann Lot – Republican
Debbie Lundy – Democrat Write-In
Congratulations to the Collins High School Lady Tigers and the members of the cheerleading team for being named scholar athletes. They will be graduating in the top 30precent of the CHS Class of 2017. Pictured above (front, from left) are Ta’Shira Hawthorn, Da’Shira Hawthorn, LaChara Beasley (second row) Brenna Slay, JaShon Turner, Porsha Fairley, Alexis Harris, (back row) Zakyia Weathersby, Salutatorian CHS Class of 2017. Their participation in sports while maintaining a high grade point average provided each of them with a good experience of team work, an opportunity to achieve their greatest potential while developing the characteristics of being a leader.
Okatoma Festival tshirts are on sale now at all local banks and the Covington County Chamber of Commerce office. The shirts are $15.
The Covington County DECA marketing students at the Vo-Tech Center visited the Collins Veterans Home where they made a contribution to the Veterans OutReach. In a countywide community service project beginning in November, the students collectively spent 1,000 hours with the community’s military heroes. They went the extra mile to raise $500 to donate to the organization which accommodates the veterans with items to make living more comfortable. The veterans have enjoyed the time spent with the students while the students were rewarded by the service as well. “Honestly, it makes me feel good because I want to give back to the people who did so much for us,” said Miercoles Keys, a junior at Collins High School. “It inspires me and makes me want to go to the army.” Jake Sanford, founder of Veterans OutReach said the money will go a long way, but the time the students gave meant the most. “It not only does my heart good to see them doing this, it does these veterans’ hearts good to know there’s a group of young people who love them, care for them, and want to do this for them,” he said.
The Collins Rotary Club “Spring Classic” golf tournament will be held Saturday, April 1, 2017, at the Okatoma Golf Club. The tournament is organized around a two-person scramble format with prizes awards for first, second and third places in First Flight and Second Flight. The entry fee for the two-man scramble is $50 and includes green fee, cart, food and beverages. The “Spring Classic” will begin with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Prizes include $250 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place the First Flight and $200 for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place in the Second Flight. Prizes for the closest to pin and longest drive will also be awarded. Lunch will be served beginning at 11 a.m. Mulligans are $5 each and there are only two per golfer and four per team. Mulligans may not be used on “closest to pin” or “longest drive”. For more information about the event, call 601-765-1841, or Oliver Hitt at 601-765-4466. Proceeds support the Collins Rotary Club’s scholarship program which annually awards scholarships to graduating seniors from Covington County who will attend a state college or university and also to an eligible Covington County sophomore attending Jones County Junior College.
The qualifying deadline has passed for municipal elections in Collins where Democrat incumbent Mayor V.O. Smith is being challenged by Democrat Hope Jones Magee and Republican Tom Brooks. Magee served as Ward Two Alderman in a previous term until she was defeated by present Alderman Robert Thompson. Brooks is a local business owner.
Bobby Mooney, incumbent Alderman-at-Large does not have a challenger.
In the Ward One Alderman’s race, incumbent Lester Magee will face Merria Lisa Speight. Both are running as Democrats.
Ward Two Alderman Robert Thompson will face challenger Regina Daughdrill. Daughdrill is running as a Republican, and Thompson is running as aDemocrat.
Ward Three Alderman Gerald Buffington is not seeking re-election. In that open seat, Buffington’s wife Sally Buffington will run along with Johnathon L. Anderson and Ray Magee. All three are running as Democrats.
Ward Four Alderman Halbert Walker will face challenger Ann Lott. Walker is running as a Democrat while Lott is running as a Republican.
The primary election will take place on Tuesday, May 2. The general election will be Tuesday, June 6.
Candidates wishing to qualify for local elections must do so by Friday, March 3, 2017 at 5 p.m. The primary election, which will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, will be for the city offices of Mayor, Aldermen and Alderman-At-Large. All candidates must qualify with the City Clerk.