The general election matchup to become Jackson’s next mayor is set after voters went to the polls Tuesday in the city’s nonpartisan primary.
Former Mayor Derek Dobies and perennial candidate John Wilson earned the most votes among five candidates seeking the open seat and will face off in the Nov. 3 general election. Incumbent Mayor Daniel Mahoney did not seek reelection.
The primary field also included Christy May Davis, Shalanda Hunt and Dena Morgan. The top two vote-getters advanced to the general election.
Wilson said he learned the results in the early morning hours after receiving a phone call from a friend.
“She had informed me that I made it to the general election, and if there's anything such as good coming in second place, that's good,” Wilson said. Looking ahead to November, Wilson said his campaign will continue to focus on neighborhood infrastructure.
“First and foremost are the condition of our city neighborhood streets,” Wilson said. “There are way too many that are in deplorable condition, with literally crumbling streets.”
He told WKAR he plans to take a brief pause before resuming campaign activities, noting that a general election race differs significantly from a five-candidate primary.
Dobies did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday morning.
The 2026 election marks the first time Jackson is holding local elections in even-numbered years after city leaders aligned municipal elections with the federal election cycle.
The winner of the Nov. 3 election will serve a two-year term as mayor.