Two Mississippi Judicial Races Head to December Runoffs

Unofficial returns show no candidate reached a majority in two nonpartisan judicial races, with runoffs set for December 1.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections

Bold vector editorial illustration of a single sealed ballot box on a wooden table before a voting-booth partition, with farmland beyond the window. — Unofficial returns show no candidate won a majority in two Mississippi nonpartisan judicial races, sending both to a December 1 runoff. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Unofficial returns from the November 3 general election show no candidate won a majority in the 18th Chancery Court District, Place 1 race or the Third Circuit Court District 3, Place 2 race. Runoff elections are scheduled for December 1 for both contests.

Why it matters

Mississippi judicial elections are nonpartisan, and a candidate must win a majority to win outright, so the runoffs will determine who holds these seats. With ballots still outstanding in several counties, final outcomes may shift before runoffs are held.

Unofficial returns put Michael Watts at about 33.9% in the 18th Chancery race, while Bart M. Adams stands at about 49.4% in the Third Circuit race, 315 votes short of the majority needed to win outright. Roughly 864 ballots remain outstanding across four counties, and Watts expects to keep his lead once they are counted.

The details

In the 18th Chancery Court District, Place 1 race, Watts leads with 13,244 votes, followed by Jenessa Carter Hicks with 9,142 and Jennifer L. Shackelford with 9,010, a 132-vote gap between the two trailing candidates. In the Third Circuit Court District 3, Place 2 race, Adams received 25,778 votes but did not clear the majority threshold.

November 3, 2026: General election held and unofficial returns reported.
December 1, 2026: Runoff elections scheduled for the 18th Chancery Court District and Third Circuit Court District 3, Place 2.

Election Context

Under Mississippi's rule that a judicial candidate must win a majority or face a runoff between the top two finishers, neither the 18th Chancery nor the Third Circuit race was settled on November 3. The December 1 runoffs follow the same two-candidate structure the state uses whenever no one clears 50%.

Mississippi voters in these districts will return to the polls on December 1 to decide the two judicial seats. Because the runoffs are held between the top two finishers, voters who backed eliminated candidates will need to choose between the remaining contenders.

The takeaway

Judicial races in Mississippi can remain undecided after a general election, so checking certified results before a runoff is worthwhile. Voters should note the December 1 date and confirm their polling location in advance.

What happens next

Runoff elections for the 18th Chancery Court District, Place 1 race and the Third Circuit Court District 3, Place 2 race are scheduled for December 1, 2026.