Democrat elected mayor as black officials win board majority

MCCOMB, Miss. (AP) - A southwest Mississippi city has a new mayor, and a majority of its city board will be African-American for the first time.

Voters in McComb elected as their mayor Democrat Quordiniah Lockley, the former city administrator. He defeated Republican Tommy McKenzie, who has been serving as selectman-at-large.

The Enterprise-Journal reports Lockley won nearly 60 percent of about 2,500 votes.

Republican Mayor Whitney Rawlings didn’t seek another term.

Democrat Donovan Hill, who had already held a ward-based post on the board, was chosen selectman-at-large in a citywide vote.

Including the new mayor, the board will have five Democrats and two Republicans.

McComb has an unusual form of government for Mississippi, calling its city board members selectmen and electing officials at a different time than others.

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Information from: Enterprise-Journal, http://www.enterprise-journal.com