New Election For Okolona Town Marshal Post

OKOLONA, MISS. (WCBI) – A new election will soon take place for Okolona Town Marshal.

Okolona’s mayor has five days to set a new election date.  This case began two years ago, when Tommy Ivy Senior challenged results in a race pitting him against William Randle.

Randle won that race by one vote.  Ivy challenged the results, and Circuit Court Judge Barry Ford ruled some votes cast for Randle were not lawful and should not be counted.

But instead of calling for a new election, Judge Ford took Randle’s name off the ballot.

The state supreme court said Randle was never given a fair shot to win the seat.   This morning, Judge Ford asked Mayor Sherman Carrouthers to set a new election.

Randle’s attorney says he is hopeful the saga will finally come to a conclusion.

“I don’t know what people have been experiencing over the last couple of years having the other person in office, but obviously, when you are choosing who is city marshal, you are choosing how citizens will feel safe, who will protect them and who is going to take those families and businesses into consideration in how they enforce the law in that town,” said Walter Zinn, Jr.

Calls to Ivy’s attorney, Gary Goodwin, were not returned .   A town marshal is similar to a police chief.