The Oxford Board of Aldermen voted to abolish the city’s Municipal Election Commission and establish an agreement with the Lafayette County Circuit Clerk’s office for county commissioners to conduct municipal elections and other duties performed by municipal election commissioners.

City Clerk Ashley Atkinson presented the proposed ordinance to Aldermen on April 19 during a regular board meeting for initial reading and review. According to her, the Aldermen expressed interest in working with the County after the last municipal election.

“We struggle with finding people to serve on the election commission [and] we struggled keeping them trained,” Atkinson said. City municipal election commissioners are trained only twice a year, whereas the county trains election commissioners year round.

“It would be a benefit to us for them to do all of our elections,” said Atkinson.

The City Clerk’s Office will still help in any needed capacity for municipal elections however, the county will be responsible for all duties related to general and special elections as dictated by law.

The amended ordinance was unanimously approved by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen with no changes or objections from the board or public.

Read the Abolishment of the City’s Election Commission