Two Yazooans are among the candidates looking to fill a state senate seat in the upcoming November elections.
Hayes Dent and Joseph Thomas Sr. are both running for the State Senate District 22 seat, which will be open with the current Senator Buck Clark vying for state treasurer.
Dent will be running as a Republican against candidate Dwayne Self in the primary election.
Thomas will be running as a Democrat against candidates Ruffin Smith, Vince Roberts, Colton Thornton and Earl Scales in the primary election.
The primary election for all offices, including state and county, will be held Aug. 6.
Thomas was among the three men who filed a federal lawsuit last June, accusing the state of violating the Voting Rights Act to purposefully dilute African-American votes within District 22.
U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves, also of Yazoo City, ruled that District 22 did violate the Voting Rights Act.
“As presently drawn, District 22 does not afford the plaintiffs ‘an equal opportunity to participate in the political processes and to elect candidates of their choice,'” Reeves said.
The general election will be held on Nov. 5.
