LaRita Cooper-Stokes, Jackson City Councilwoman Ward 3JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Residents in Jackson's Ward 3 have elected LaRita Cooper-Stokes to represent them on the city council.
According to the unofficial results, Cooper-Stokes received 1,503 votes to challenger Joyce Jackson's 1,340 votes.
Absentee votes will not be counted until tomorrow.
Residents went to the polls for the third time to elect a city council representative.
The Secretary of State's office sent monitors to the 15 polling places.
So far, the monitors have not reported any problems and say the turnout is very light.
Current Councilwoman LaRita Cooper-Stokes faced Joyce Jackson again Tuesday. Jackson won a lawsuit and the results of the February run-off election, which Cooper-Stokes narrowly won, were thrown out and a new election was ordered.
During a May trial, a Hinds County grand jury sided with Jackson. The jury found evidence of irregularities during the run-off election.
During the trial, Jackson's sisters testified that Stokes supporters campaigned within 150 feet of the Lanier precinct. Jackson also testified that Stokes campaign workers made racial slurs towards her.
Stokes filed an appeal to overturn the jury's verdict and grant a retrial, but that request was denied.
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