Jones wins seat on Clinton Board of Aldermen

By Randy Bell

     Amanda Jones is preparing to serve the City of Clinton in a new capacity after easily winning a Republican primary for the Ward 3 seat on the Clinton Board of Aldermen.  She faces no opposition in the general election and will take office on July 1.  Jones received 494 votes in the primary on April 1 to defeat two challengers.  Ronnie Morton finished second, with 149 votes, followed by Lee Logan, who got 115 votes.   The total number of votes cast at the Traceway Park administration building was 758, just over twenty per cent of the registered voters living in Ward 3.

     Jones served as Clinton’s director of communication and tourism for less than a year before being named communication manager for Continental Tire in 2022. She believes her brief stint working in City government will enable her to hit the ground running as Ward 3 alderwoman but admits, “There’s always room to learn.”

     Jones said she enjoyed going door to door meeting the residents of Ward 3, and it paid off with sixty-five per cent of the vote.

     “I think my family and I worked hard for this,” she said.  “We ran a clean, good campaign.”

     She’s promising to focus on issues that voters brought up, including the need for better drainage and the lack of fast internet service in some of the northern portions of Ward 3.

     “When I was communication director for the City, we started the process of trying to get good internet out there.  And I do understand that they do feel forgotten.  They have told me that many times, so I’m anxious to get in there and really try to push for them and fight for them.”

     Morton, an elder law attorney who was making his second race for the Ward 3 seat, offered his congratulations to Jones moments after the results were announced.

     “She did an excellent job running an excellent race,” said Morton.

     And Morton is hoping an issue he raised during the campaign survives the election.  He promoted the idea of Clinton breaking away from Hinds County and forming a new county.

     “The only reason I ran for the seat was that issue,” he said.  “It has nothing to do with me getting or anybody getting the seat.  It’s because I believe that Clinton needs to do this, and the time to do it is now.  I think that the environment is right for it.”

     Morton said being part of Hinds County is holding Clinton back, while cities in other counties in the metropolitan area are flourishing.

     Logan, an engineer for Entergy making his first political race, indicated he might give it another try in the future.

     “Possibly.  It was a good experience,” Logan said, after hearing the results of the primary.   “[I] learned a lot, found out some things I didn’t know.  Overall, [it was a] good experience.”

     Jones will replace Robert Chapman in representing Ward 3.  Chapman is seeking the Alderman at Large position in the general election June 3.  He was unopposed for the Republican nomination and faces Democrat James Warren.

     Ward 3 is one of three aldermen races still to be decided.

     Ward 4 Alderman Chip Wilbanks, a Republican, is being challenged by Democrat Kevin Anderson in the general election, and Ward 5 Republican Alderwoman Beverly Oliver faces independent candidate Hayden King.

     The results of the April 1 primary mean that four seats on the Board have now been determined, with Jones joining incumbents Karen Godfrey and James Lott and newcomer T.J. McSparrin, as those three are running unopposed.  Republicans Godfrey and McSparrin will serve in Wards 1 and 2, respectively, and Democrat Lott in Ward 6. The mayor’s race is also unopposed, with Republican Will Purdie set to take office on July 1.

     Some voters from other wards showed up at the Traceway Park polling place expecting to cast ballots, but were turned away after being told the primary was for Ward 3 voters only.

     City Clerk Jimmy Baldree is hoping for less confusion on June 3.

     In preparation for the general election, postcards are being mailed to registered voters citywide (one per household) with important election information.

     “You should get that mid-May,” Baldree said. “And it will have what ward you’re currently in because of the redistricting, as well as where you vote and the dates and times.  So, be on the lookout for that.”