2025 Municipal Elections Beginning to Take Shape for the City of Magnolia

One thing is clear when talking to the residents and business owners of Magnolia: Why does the "downtown center" appear to be dying and why are some of the businesses vacating the city? And can this trend of a dying town be turned around quickly before there is nothing left to address?

We've seen various tax-related attacks and lack of the city's administration support for the few small businesses that remain. Several businesses have left in the last six months to other local cities or have closed. As well, McComb's attempt to infringe on Magnolia's long-established incorporation of the Fernwood / Love's I-55 exit could dramatically impact future sales tax revenues for our city and community.

We have a city infrastructure that is in disrepair, with potholes dotting the city streets, while our city Aldermen donate $3,000 to the Alcorn band. The city needs capable and visionary leadership to move the city forward and focus on the city's dire needs. All the while, there seem to be no answers from the city's Administration or Board of Aldermen.

The 2025 municipal election in Magnolia is set to shape the future of our community. With key issues such as economic development, public safety, city sustainability, and public infrastructure of streets, utilities, and services at the forefront, the election offers a crucial opportunity for residents to voice their opinions and elect leaders who will guide Magnolia toward a prosperous future. Voter participation is essential in ensuring that the community's needs and aspirations are heard and met through effective governance and leadership.

The Magnolia municipal election, with the primary held April 1 and general held June 3, is also set to be a pivotal event in the town's political landscape. As residents prepare to cast their votes, the election promises to bring new leadership and potentially transformative changes to the community. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the key dates, candidates that are running for the various offices, and important aspects of the upcoming election.

Several new candidates are running in this year's municipal race for Mayor and most of the Aldermen positions on the city Board. Although the Mayor's race always seems the most important, voters must also focus on the Aldermen positions closely, because they as a majority control as much or more of the city than the Mayor.

Various interviews with these new candidates all expressed the need for a change in the way Magnolia needs to address citizens' concerns and attract new businesses to the city. Every leadership position for the city of Magnolia is up for election.

For Mayor there are 2 Democrat candidates who qualified - Tammy Witherspoon and Marvin Brumfield.

For Ward 1 there are 3 Democrat candidates - Becky Magee, Chad Williams, and Charles White.

For Ward 2 there are 2 Democrat candidates - Clarence Burton, Jr. and Dorothy Dillon.

For Ward 3 there are 3 Democrat candidates - Cheryl Grady, Gloria Burton Martin, and Theresa Brown Weatherspoon.

For Ward 4 there is one Republican candidate - Joe Cornachione (running unopposed).

For Alderman at Large there are 2 Democrat candidates - Darryl Pounds and Jennifer Jones Knox.

There are several key dates for this year's election: February 18 - Absentee Election Ballots Available for the Primary Election; April 1 - Primary Election Day; April 4 - Absentee Ballots Available for the General Election; April 22 - Primary Election Run-off Day; June 3 - General Election Day; July 1 - Terms begin for elected Municipal Officials.

The results of the Democratic Primary on April 1 will effectively be the selection of the candidate and minimize the need for the General Election. With that said, the Primary Election is of the utmost importance for shaping and electing the next leadership for the City of Magnolia.

In the coming weeks, the MAGNOLIA GAZETTE will highlight a series of interviews with the candidates to give their thoughts, ideas, and plans for improving Magnolia.

Additionally, the MAGNOLIA GAZETTE is working to schedule a public forum inviting all candidates to a panel to answer questions from the public. The GAZETTE is soliciting questions and interest from the public that you would like the mayoral and alderman candidates to address. Please drop them by the GAZETTE office on Magnolia Street or email them to tdjackson56@gmail.com.