Written by Ruth Ingram | Clarion Ledger
Raymond resident Leon Jones’ residency prevents him from running for Hinds County District 4 constable, a circuit judge ruled Wednesday.
Jones, a Democrat, appealed the Hinds County Election Commission’s Sept. 15 decision to remove him from the November ballot after Republican incumbent Constable Jon Lewis challenged Jones’ residency.
“The law requires that a constable must live in the district that he purports to represent,” said Lewis’ attorney, John Reeves. “The undisputed evidence is that Jones’ house is approximately 200 yards inside of District 2.”
That evidence includes a map each from Central Mississippi Planning and Development District and another from the tax assessor’s office, Reeves said. Both were presented at the hearing before Circuit Judge Breland Hilburn.
Hilburn also heard statements from Jones, his attorney Bryan Guy, Lewis and District 4 Election Commissioner Connie Cochran.
“We’re working on that,” Jones said of the possibility of a further appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court. “They are giving us five days to make a decision.”
Lewis, a constable since 1995, faces independent Earl Young in the general election. Both men are from Raymond.
Jones said he votes in District 4 and ran for office four years ago in District 4, and that no one questioned his residency until this year.
Jones said he doesn’t have “a bad taste in my mouth” following the loss of his appeal.
“I’m the only one who will be left out in the cold, but no matter which way it goes, everything will be fine,” he said. “If I stay in District 2, I don’t have a problem with that.”
0 Comments