Sandy Kane Smith sworn in as Pearl River County Tax Collector

PEARL RIVER COUNTY, Miss. (WXXV)- Pearl River County’s new tax assessor/collector begins his new role Monday, after years of appeals and winning a recent special election.

Sandy Kane Smith was sworn in Friday after the results from a recent special election in two Picayune precincts were combined with the 2023 results in the county’s other precincts.

The razor thin margin in the original race between Smith and Jolynn Houston led to recounts, the discovery of two illegal votes, and eventually a Mississippi Supreme Court ruling ordering a new election in two of those precincts where the illegal votes were cast.

Smith replaces long time tax collector/assessor Gary Beech, who remained in the position pending the outcome of this race.