Jimmie Smith is an American politician and member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
who has served as the
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the List of municipalities in Mississippi, seventh largest city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, with a population of 41,148 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and an estimated population in 2018 of 36,347. It is the count ...
since 2021. Previously, he served 20 years on the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors.
Early life
Smith was born in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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on June 29, 1952. As a teenager, he moved to Meridian.
Career
Shortly after his arrival in Meridian, Smith worked in area hospitals. Later, he joined the Meridian Police Department where he worked in various divisions including the SWAT Team.
Community involvement
Smith served for 20 years on the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors.
Mayor of Meridian
In 2005, while still serving on the Board of Supervisors, Smith was the Democratic nominee for mayor.
He lost to the incumbent
John Robert Smith in the general election by only 104 votes.
Sixteen years later, Jimmie Smith faced off against Mayor
Percy Bland
Percy Bland is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party who served as the mayor of Meridian, Mississippi from 2013 to 2021. Bland was the first African American Mayor of Meridian MS and is know ...
in the Democratic primary. After, beating Bland in the April 2021 run-off, he faced city council member Weston Lindemann, an independent, and Republican Robert Ray in the general election.
In June 2021, Smith won that race decisively with over 60 percent of the vote.
When he assumed office in July 2021, he became only the second African American mayor of Meridian, a town with a population that is over 60 percent Black.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Jimmie
1952 births
African-American mayors in Mississippi
Living people
Mayors of Meridian, Mississippi
Mississippi Democrats
Politicians from Chicago
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American people