Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Valencia Hall is the apparent winner of the hotly contested primary race between her and incumbent Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis for the Ward 1 Alderman position.

Hall garnered 394 votes, or 55.18% of the vote to Mathis’ 318 votes, or 44.54% of the vote, for the Natchez Ward 1 alderman seat.

“I feel humbled that the voters of Ward 1 have confidence in my abilities to lead the ward and lead Natchez,” Hall said. “I think it is now a new day and a new era for the City of Natchez, and I’m looking forward to the next phase and being on the board of aldermen and bringing Natchez and Ward 1 forward. I want to thank the people of Natchez. This has been a community effort. They have seen my humble pledge to unify Natchez and to unify Ward 1. We are one Natchez and we are Ward 1 and we have to come together in order to make progress, and I deeply appreciate the confidence in my abilities to do just that.”

Arceneaux-Mathis quoted Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted . . . time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

Then Arcenaux-Mathis offered thanks.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the voters in ward 1 and the citizens of Natchez for a ‘season’ of 46 years of public service, first as an educator and second as the alderwoman, representing the citizens of Ward 1,” Arceneaux-Mathis said. “Thank you for your support, loyalty and prayers for 24 years. May God continue to bless you and your families, the City of Natchez, the State of Mississippi and May God Bless America.”

Hall must now face independent challenger Jamar White in the July 14 general election.