Madison County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
11 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 6 Madison County races, led by the Circuit Court Judge, District 20, Place 1 contest.
Judges
Circuit Court Judge, District 20, Place 1Nonpartisan race · Sarah Butler · Scott Gilbert · Carter Smith
Sarah Butler
Top priorities
- Says courts should be led with stability, predictability and fairness
Per the campaign site.
About Sarah Butler
Sarah Butler has worked as a circuit judges' staff attorney in Mississippi's court system for more than 13 years, managing dockets and handling civil and criminal mediations, per her campaign site. A lifelong Rankin County resident, she is running for Circuit Judge in Circuit District 20, serving Madison and Rankin counties, per the same source.
Scott Gilbert
Top priorities
- His platform emphasizes experience for the role and protecting constitutional freedoms and the rule of law
Per the campaign site.
About Scott Gilbert
Scott Gilbert is a candidate for Circuit Court Judge, Circuit District 20, serving Madison and Rankin counties, per his campaign site. The site does not detail his professional background as of September 17, 2026.
Carter Smith
Carter Smith has nearly 20 years of jury trial experience in the Circuit Court, District 20 (Madison and Rankin counties), serving as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, per his campaign site. This race is headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff among three candidates, per Madison County election filings.
Sarah Butler, Scott Gilbert and Carter Smith are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for this seat. Voters across the 20th Circuit Court District (Madison, Rankin) 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 20, Place 2Nonpartisan race · Steve S. Ratcliff
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Steve S. Ratcliff
Steve S. Ratcliff is the sitting judge of the 20th Circuit Court District (Madison, Rankin), per the Mississippi Judiciary's official directory of circuit court judges and staff. Steve S. Ratcliff 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.
Steve S. Ratcliff 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 20th Circuit Court District (Madison, Rankin) 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 20, Place 3Nonpartisan race · Dewey Arthur
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Dewey Arthur
Dewey Arthur is the sitting judge of the 20th Circuit Court District (Madison, Rankin), per the Mississippi Judiciary's official directory of circuit court judges and staff. Dewey Arthur 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.
Dewey Arthur 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 20th Circuit Court District (Madison, Rankin) 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 11-1Nonpartisan race · Robert G. Clark III
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Robert G. Clark III
Robert G. Clark III is the sitting Chancery Judge for the 11th Chancery District, based in Lexington, 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.
Robert G. Clark III 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 11-1 covers part of the 11th Chancery Court District (Holmes, Madison, Yazoo); 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 11-2Nonpartisan race · Cynthia Lee Brewer · Rhonda Cecilia Cooper
Cynthia Lee Brewer
Cynthia Lee Brewer is the sitting Chancery Court judge for Sub District Two of Madison County, part of Mississippi's 11th Chancery Court District, per Madison County government. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Rhonda Cecilia Cooper
Top priorities
- Campaign describes her as responsible, competent and compassionate, emphasizing dignity and fairness in chancery matters
Per the campaign site.
About Rhonda Cecilia Cooper
Rhonda Cecilia Cooper has practiced law in Mississippi for 38 years, focusing on estate planning, domestic relations, real property and contract negotiations, per her campaign site. She is a graduate of Millsaps College and the University of Alabama School of Law and previously served as Clinical Assistant Professor and Pre-Law Advisor at Jackson State University, per her campaign site.
Cynthia Lee Brewer and Rhonda Cecilia Cooper are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for this seat. Subdistrict 11-2 covers part of the 11th Chancery Court District (Leake, Madison); 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 11, Place 3Nonpartisan race · Gene D. Berry · David Bridges · Alan Rhea
Gene D. Berry
Top priorities
- Campaign theme is 'Justice. Experience. Community,' emphasizing faith, family and fairness in chancery court
Per the campaign site.
About Gene D. Berry
Gene D. Berry has spent over 40 years as a trial attorney in Mississippi courtrooms, per his campaign site. He is running for the open Chancery District 11 Place 3 seat after sitting Chancellor James Walker chose not to seek re-election.
David Bridges
David Bridges is a partner at the family-law firm Roberts, Bridges & Boydston, PLLC in Madison, Mississippi, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers who has twice chaired the Mississippi Bar's Family Law Section, per his firm's website. He earned his law degree from Baylor Law School in 1987. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Alan Rhea
Alan Rhea is an attorney with the Carthage firm Nettles & Rhea and currently serves as the Municipal Court Judge for Walnut Grove, Mississippi, per the state's 2026 judiciary directory. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Gene D. Berry, David Bridges and Alan Rhea are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for this seat. Voters across the 11th Chancery Court District (Holmes, Leake, Madison, Yazoo) 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.
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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 Madison County, Mississippi on November 3, 2026?
Madison 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 Madison 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 →
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