Gulfport council member’s candidacy challenged. Here’s how the commission ruled
Gulfport Councilwoman Ella Holmes-Hines broke into a broad smile after a contentious hearing that affirmed she is an eligible general election candidate for the Ward 3 seat.
The Gulfport Municipal Election Commission’s decision before a full house on Wednesday means that the city’s longest-serving council person will start her eighth term on July 1. She bested two opponents in the Democratic primary and faces no opposition in the June 3 general election.
The decision also will allow general-election ballots to be printed so that absentee voting can begin, hopefully by Monday, at Gulfport City Hall. Holmes-Hines said that she hopes to be first in line.
The commission also had to decide an election challenge Tuesday involving the Ward 6 seat, ruling that Democratic challenger Carrissa Corbett would be on the ballot with Republican incumbent R.Lee Flowers.
Election opponent stresses ‘democracy’
One of her primary opponents, Ronnie Matthew Harris, challenged her right to appear on the general election ballot. Holmes-Hines had failed to file all campaign contribution reports for the past five years as required by law, his campaign noted in the challenge.
“This hearing today is about democracy,” Harris said. “ . . . “We are not here to be spiteful. What we’re here to do is fulfill our responsibilities in running a campaign.”
The attorney for Ella Holmes-Hines, Tim Holleman, retorted: “Democracy is about who has the most votes. That’s democracy.”
He noted that Holmes-Hines got 55% of the vote in the Democratic primary, while Harris had 29%. They were trailed by Patrick R. White. Holleman also called the election challenge “bogus.”
After hearing from both sides, the commission took a one-hour break so that Holmes-Hines could produce two missing campaign-contribution reports from 2021, as the law allows. Once the commission had the reports in hand, they unanimously declared Holmes-Hines an eligible candidate.
Campaign sign in voting precinct
Despite the missing reports, the Democratic Executive Committee, which oversaw the party primary, insisted that Holmes-Hines had met all the qualifications for being on the party’s ballot.
The Harris campaign had another objection to Holmes-Hines candidacy. She was inside a voting precinct on primary election day with one of her campaign signs, which is prohibited by law. A picture captured the moment.
But the city’s attorney, Jeff Bruni, noted that the election commission could not delve into primary election issues. The city’s election commission runs only the general election.
Holmes-Hines told the Sun Herald after the hearing that she was carrying the sign under her arm while outside and about to head to another precinct. The poll workers were having problems with the ballot scanner and asked for her help. She said she forgot the sign was under her arm when she went inside.
“When I hear ‘Help’, it doesn’t matter what I’m doing,” Holmes-Hines said, saying she dropped everything to see what was needed.
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 1:22 PM.
