Mississippi's eighth state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Russell Jolly.

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.

2016 pivot county

This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.

The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.

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. Incumbent Russell Jolly was unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republican candidates filed for election. Jolly ran unchallenged in the District 8 general election.

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. Russell Jolly (D) defeated Patsy Gregory (R) in the general election. Jolly defeated Marshall Coleman and Sherman Carouthers in the Democratic primary. Gregory defeated Victor Horn in the Republican primary.

Mississippi State Senate, District 8 General Election, 2011

Mississippi State Senate, District 8 Democratic Primary, 2011

Campaign contributions

From 2003 to 2011, candidates for Mississippi State Senate District 8 raised a total of $440,396. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $48,933 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Mississippi State Senate District 8