Lowndes County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
5 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 5 Lowndes County races, led by the Circuit Court Judge, District 16, Place 1 contest.
Judges
Circuit Court Judge, District 16, Place 1Nonpartisan race · James 'Jim' Thomas Kitchens Jr.
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
James 'Jim' Thomas Kitchens Jr. Nonpartisan Incumbent
James 'Jim' Thomas Kitchens Jr. is the sitting judge of the 16th Circuit Court District (Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha), per the Mississippi Judiciary's official directory of circuit court judges and staff. James 'Jim' Thomas Kitchens Jr. is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for that seat, unopposed, per the Mississippi Secretary of State's official sample ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 17, 2026.
James 'Jim' Thomas Kitchens Jr. is the only name on the ballot for this seat; unopposed candidates still appear on Mississippi ballots, so the race is on the November 3 ballot but is not contested. Voters across the 16th Circuit Court District (Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha) vote on this seat. Mississippi judicial races are nonpartisan; if nobody wins a majority, the top two meet in a runoff on December 1, 2026, per the Secretary of State's 2026 elections calendar. Listed from the Secretary of State's official sample ballot.
Full race pageCircuit Court Judge, District 16, Place 2Nonpartisan race · Lee J. 'Jay' Howard
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Lee J. 'Jay' Howard Nonpartisan Incumbent
Lee J. 'Jay' Howard is the sitting judge of the 16th Circuit Court District (Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha), per the Mississippi Judiciary's official directory of circuit court judges and staff. Lee J. 'Jay' Howard is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for that seat, unopposed, per the Mississippi Secretary of State's official sample ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 17, 2026.
Lee J. 'Jay' Howard is the only name on the ballot for this seat; unopposed candidates still appear on Mississippi ballots, so the race is on the November 3 ballot but is not contested. Voters across the 16th Circuit Court District (Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha) vote on this seat. Mississippi judicial races are nonpartisan; if nobody wins a majority, the top two meet in a runoff on December 1, 2026, per the Secretary of State's 2026 elections calendar. Listed from the Secretary of State's official sample ballot.
Full race pageCircuit Court Judge, District 16, Place 3Nonpartisan race · Michelle Easterling
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Michelle Easterling Nonpartisan Incumbent
Michelle Easterling is the sitting judge of the 16th Circuit Court District (Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha), per the Mississippi Judiciary's official directory of circuit court judges and staff. Michelle Easterling is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for that seat, unopposed, per the Mississippi Secretary of State's official sample ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 17, 2026.
Michelle Easterling is the only name on the ballot for this seat; unopposed candidates still appear on Mississippi ballots, so the race is on the November 3 ballot but is not contested. Voters across the 16th Circuit Court District (Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha) vote on this seat. Mississippi judicial races are nonpartisan; if nobody wins a majority, the top two meet in a runoff on December 1, 2026, per the Secretary of State's 2026 elections calendar. Listed from the Secretary of State's official sample ballot.
Full race pageChancery Court Judge, District 14-2Nonpartisan race · Joseph N. 'Joe' Studdard
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Joseph N. 'Joe' Studdard Nonpartisan Incumbent
Joseph N. 'Joe' Studdard is the sitting Chancery Judge for the 14th Chancery District, based in Columbus, per the Mississippi Judiciary's official court directory. He is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 17, 2026.
Joseph N. 'Joe' Studdard is the only name on the ballot for this seat; unopposed candidates still appear on Mississippi ballots, so the race is on the November 3 ballot but is not contested. Subdistrict 14-2 covers part of the 14th Chancery Court District (Clay, Lowndes); only voters living in that subdistrict see this race. Mississippi judicial races are nonpartisan; if nobody wins a majority, the top two meet in a runoff on December 1, 2026, per the Secretary of State's 2026 elections calendar. Listed from the Secretary of State's official sample ballot.
Full race pageChancery Court Judge, District 14-3Nonpartisan race · Paula Drungole-Ellis
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Paula Drungole-Ellis Nonpartisan Incumbent
Paula Drungole-Ellis is the sitting Chancery Judge for the 14th Chancery District, based in Starkville, per the Mississippi Judiciary's official court directory. She is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 17, 2026.
Paula Drungole-Ellis is the only name on the ballot for this seat; unopposed candidates still appear on Mississippi ballots, so the race is on the November 3 ballot but is not contested. Subdistrict 14-3 covers part of the 14th Chancery Court District (Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha); only voters living in that subdistrict see this race. Mississippi judicial races are nonpartisan; if nobody wins a majority, the top two meet in a runoff on December 1, 2026, per the Secretary of State's 2026 elections calendar. Listed from the Secretary of State's official sample ballot.
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Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
Mississippi's November 3, 2026 ballot is a federal and judicial ballot: U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Court of Appeals, and every circuit and chancery judgeship under the district lines the Legislature drew in 2025. Party nominees for the federal races were chosen at the March 10 primary. Judicial races and special elections are nonpartisan; if nobody wins a majority, the top two meet in a runoff on December 1, 2026, per the Secretary of State's 2026 elections calendar. Unopposed candidates still appear on the ballot. Mississippi elects county officers, legislators and statewide officials in odd-numbered years (next in 2027). The field is the Secretary of State's official sample ballot dated September 9, 2026.
Who is on the ballot in Lowndes County, Mississippi on November 3, 2026?
Lowndes County sample ballot 2026: who is running for circuit court judge and chancery court judge, with bios, priorities and campaign sites. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in Mississippi?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Mississippi are listed on the Mississippi election hub. Mississippi election hub →
How do I see my exact Lowndes County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
Mississippi statewide racesEvery Mississippi race on this county's ballot.