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Meet the Candidates forum held for Ward One

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Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Blacks in Government, the Vicksburg branch of the NAACP, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and the Alpha Phi Alpha Sorority sponsored a Meet the Candidates forum for the vacant Ward One Alderman position.

Nine of the ten qualified candidates were present at the Thursday night event held at the Warren County Courthouse. The candidates present were Gregory Bingham, Michael Gates, Daryl Hollingsworth, Warren Jones, Thomas Mayfield, Bobbie Bingham-Morrow, Charles Selmon, Jamma Williams, and Kevin Winters. Joseph Williams was not at the event. Each of these candidates will be a part of a special election on May 9. If none of the candidates secure 50% of the vote plus one vote, there will be a special runoff election on May 30, 2024.

In opening statements, issues such as unsafe neighborhoods and downtrodden roads were discussed as areas of improvement for Ward One. A lack of youth programs and crime rates were also brought forth as reasons for the possible future dilapidation of the city and its surrounding areas including Ward One. Thomas “TJ” Mayfield, in his opening statement, spoke on how he takes great pride in being born and raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Mayfield stated we need a “young and fresh voice” to lead this city. Candidate Kevin Winters stated that Vicksburg needs “growth” and believes he is the right advocate. At the summation of the opening statements, it was evident that community togetherness and growth were a passion of all nine candidates that were at the meeting.

Here is the live stream of the event:



Questions were asked of each candidate to gauge better which candidates would be the correct fit for the role. Each candidate had a total of two minutes to answer their questions. Homelessness was one of the issues on the docket at the Thursday night meeting. When asked about how she would deal with homelessness, candidate Bobbie Morrow stated that she would advocate for rounding up and speaking individually with the homeless individuals around the city to understand better the reasons behind the circumstances they are living in. Morrow feels that with a better understanding of homelessness, the city can begin to correct the problem.

Another topic discussed at tonight’s meeting was crime in the area. One citizen asked candidate Gregory Bingham about his plan if given the alderman position of Ward One. Bingham stated his focus would be getting grants and other financial assistance to homeowners in the Ward.

When asked about his strategy to attract new businesses to the city, candidate Daryl Hollingsworth highlighted the importance of skilled workers and proposed a plan to train them effectively. He believes that this approach will be instrumental in bringing new businesses to Vicksburg.

Each candidate gave the closing statements to close the night off. Each candidate spoke about what they would do to improve the city overall. Candidate Michael Gates stated that the city needs to “refocus” on education, crime, and career opportunities.

Dr. Elmira Ratliff gave closing remarks. Ratliff called for all citizens of Vicksburg to vote and to make an “informed decision” when deciding who to vote for later in May.


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