Mississippi's seventeenth state senate district is represented by Republican Senator Charles Younger.

Mississippi state senators represent an average of 57,063 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 54,705 residents.

About the office

Members of the Mississippi State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Mississippi legislators assume office the first day of the regular session of the year following election. The Constitution requires the Legislature to convene yearly on the Tuesday after the first Monday in January.

Qualifications

In order to run for the Mississippi State Senate, a candidate must:

• Be 25 years of age or older.
• Be a qualified elector and resident of the State of Mississippi for four years.
• Be a resident of the county or district a candidate plans to represent for two years.
• If running as a Republican or Democrat, pay a $15 filing fee to the State Executive Committee of the party with which the candidate is affiliated.
• If running as an independent, submit 50 signatures to the Circuit Clerk or the Secretary of State.

Salaries

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, a special election is required to fill the vacant seat. The Governor must call for an election no later than 30 days after the vacancy happened. After the governor sets the election date, the counties conducting the election must be given at least 40 days notice before the election. All qualifying deadlines are 30 days before the election.

No special election is held if the vacancy happens after June 1st in an election year.

Elections

2019

Elections for the Mississippi State Senate took place in 2019. The primary was on August 6, 2019, the primary runoff was on August 27, and the general election was on November 5. The filing deadline for candidates was March 1, 2019.

2015

Elections for the Mississippi State Senate took place in 2015. A primary election was held on August 4, 2015, and the general election was held on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 27, 2015. No Democratic candidates filed for election. Incumbent Charles Younger defeated Robert Patrick Jr. in the Republican primary. Younger ran unchallenged in the District 17 general election. Jake Reeves (L) qualified for the general election but did not appear on the ballot.

Mississippi State Senate, District 17 Republican Primary, 2015

2014

William W. Canon, Bill Gavin, Bobby Patrick and Charles A. Younger faced off in the November 4 special election. Because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters - Patrick and Younger - met in a runoff election on November 25, which Younger won. Special elections in Mississippi are nonpartisan.

The seat was vacant following Terry W. Brown's (R) death from cancer.

A special election for the position of Mississippi State Senate District 17 was called for November 4, 2014, with a runoff on November 25. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was October 6.

Mississippi State Senate, District 17, Special Election, 2014

2011

Elections for the office of Mississippi State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 2, 2011 and a general election on November 8, 2011. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 1, 2011. Incumbent Terry W. Brown (R) was unopposed in the general election and the Republican primary.

Campaign contributions

From 2003 to 2011, candidates for Mississippi State Senate District 17 raised a total of $204,886. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $40,977 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Mississippi State Senate District 17