Chokwe Antar Lumumba new leader of capital city

Anna Wolfe | Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Show Caption Hide Caption Lumumba on Lumumba In a 2016 interview, Chokwe Antar Lumumba talks about the difference between himself and his father, the late Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba.

He enjoyed his win in the general election for Jackson mayor in the same place he celebrated a landslide victory in the primary a month earlier.

An energized Chokwe Antar Lumumba addressed a room of hundreds of supporters at the King Edward Hotel after defeating eight candidates in the democratic primary in May. But it was Tuesday's celebration that solidified his position as Jackson's next mayor.

"I'm really, really, really happy," Lumumba said just before 9 p.m Tuesday. "At the same time, I don't know it's entirely sunk in yet."

Tuesday's general election, a ticket including a popular, well-known democrat and five virtually faceless opponents, was not expected to drive the same kind of excitement, or voters, as the primary.

Yet, more than 23,100 Jacksonians voted Tuesday for the 34-year-old defense attorney and son of late-Mayor Chokwe Lumumba — nearly 5,000 more than voted for him in the primary.

"It means that the people's decree that they made, the statement they made was no mistake. It's a very clear message in the direction people want to go. It's a clear message that they have decided what they want to see from their leadership and what they want to see in their city," Lumumba said. "I'm humbled by it and eager to get started."

His father, who died after less than eight months in office, received 20,992 votes in the general election of 2013 against three independent candidates.

More: Late mayor's son finds his own voice

Despite facing five other candidates in Tuesday's general election — one Republican, one libertarian and three independent candidates — Lumumba found victory, winning 93 percent of the vote.

"I can't say how much I love this city. There's a promise and an opportunity in this city that we don't even quite comprehend ourselves just yet," Lumumba said.

He's not the only new mayor in the Jackson metro.

More: Mostly noncompetitive general elections in the Jackson metro

Jake Windham, a former investigator in the attorney general's office, will be mayor of Pearl after defeating two opponents: Democrat Willie Robinson, a Pelahatchie police officer, and Independent Mike Prestage, Flowood's building official. Windham first ousted Pearl Mayor Brad Rogers in the Republican primary.

By 9:45 p.m., with nearly 90 percent of precincts reporting, Windham led with 2,596 votes to Prestage's 408 and Robinson's 288, according to WAPT.

Former Canton Mayor William Truly will take back the leadership reigns after the democrat defeated Republican Charles "Chip" Matthews 1,222 to 444, according to WAPT.

Truly served as mayor before Canton Mayor Arnel Bolden beat him in the Democratic primary four years ago. This time, Truly won in the democratic primary against Bolden last month.

Byram voters reelected Mayor Richard White, an independent, against Democrat Chris Carson, 1,251 to 561.

Florence ousted Mayor Pam Clark, instead electing Robert "Billy Bob" Morris by 45 more votes. Rankin County Tax Assessor's chief mapper and Richland alderman Pat Sullivan is the new mayor of Richland after running unopposed in Tuesday's general election.

Council, board races

Jackson City Councilman Ashby Foote, the only Republican on the council, won reelection in the Ward 1 seat against Independent William "Bill" Jordan, a former municipal judge in Utica.

South Jackson voted in a new councilman, Democrat Aaron Banks, who will serve in the Ward 6 seat left open by Councilman Tyrone Hendrix. Banks defeated Republican Ponto Downing.

Voters in neighboring Pearl reelected incumbent Alderman at Large John McHenry, a Republican, against Democrat Betty Taylor-Lloyd and independent Virgil Campbell. The Ward 5 race against Democrat John Stevenson and independent James Thompson was not tallied by 9:45 p.m.

Clinton Mayor Phil Fisher had no opposition this election, but voters decided on the next leaders for six of the seven board of alderman positions.

Republican David Ellis, the incumbent, defeated Democrat Janice McQuirter for the Ward 1 seat; Republican Jim Martin, the incumbent, defeated Democrat Cedric Morgan for the Ward 2 seat; Republican Jan Cossitt, the incumbent, defeated Libertarian Ronald Morris and Democrat Vera Watson, for the Ward 5 seat; and Republican Mike Cashion, the incumbent, defeated Democrat Jeffery Hammond for the Ward 6 seat.

Republican Keith Perritt defeated Democrat Bernard Kines for Ward 4 by just five votes, 236 to 231.

For alderman at large, Republican Ricki Garrett defeated Democrat Kenneth Lewis by 1,668 to 1,464.

Byram elected four candidates to the board: Republican Richard Cook defeated Democrat Eugene Drake for alderman at large, 924 to 860; Republican Janise Moser defeated Democrat Erma Johnson for Ward 1, 281 to 230; incumbent Wanda Smith, an independent, defeated Democrat Kitty Thompson for Ward 5, 153 to 142; and Republican David Moore defeated independent Tim Everett and Democrat Maurice Carson for Ward 6.

All candidates in Florence run as independents, making a primary unnecessary. Out of seven candidates for the board, voters chose: John Banks, Brian Grantham, Trey Gunn, John Helms and Todd "Sarge" Norris to help lead the city.

Flowood, which also only runs independents, had just one race on the general ticket for Alderman Ward 1. Incumbent Deron Harmon defeated Ebony Marshall 84 to 66.

Madison also only had one race in the general for the Ward 4 alderman seat. Incumbent Steve Hickok defeated the only Democrat in the city to run this election, Jacob "Conner" Smith.

In Ridgeland, incumbent D.I. Smith, a Republican, defeated Democrat Poteat Medley for the alderman at large seat, 1,350 to 756. Republican Chuck Gautier beat Democrat Willie Toles for Ward 2, 464 to 176 and incumbent Wesley Hamlin, a Republican, beat Democrat Barbara Ann Bluntson for Ward 6, 211 to 67.

While every candidate in Brandon ran as a Republican, leaving no contested races for the general election, residents did vote in favor of a 3 percent tax levy on hotel and motel rooms in the city, 718 for and 198 against, according to WAPT.

Officials plan to use the revenue from the additional tax on costs associated with building and maintaining the new Brandon Amphitheater, set to open in 2018.

Contact Anna Wolfe at 601-961-7326 or awolfe@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter.