After 35 years in office, Pike County Circuit Clerk Roger Graves announced plans to retire at the end of this term.
On Dec. 31, 2023, he will have completed nine terms in office.
“I knew God would let me know when the time was right,” said Graves, 70.
After retiring, he plans to spend a lot of time at his camp on the Homochitto River and helping his wife take care of their grandchildren.
“I just wanted to make it public for the county to know,” Graves said of his announcement.
“Four years ago I had told people I was not going to run, but the situation changed because of the loss of my brother. I was planning to spend time with him.”
He said he won’t be involved in next year’s campaign, but he did note that deputy clerk Denise Robinson plans to run for his position.
“She’s been with me for 20 years and she has a lot of experience, and she knows how the office is run,” he said.
Asked about his own legacy in office, Graves cited the re-registration of all county voters shortly after he took the job.
He enlisted the help of community leaders, Black and white, to accomplish that.
“Starting from scratch we were able to re-register everyone,” he said.
More recently, he and the county election commissioners were able to get new voting machines during his current term of office.
Graves also was involved in the 2020 presidential election, which was complicated by the COVID epidemic.
“That makes me so proud I did run again because of the voting machines and the presidential election,” he said.
Graves said whoever replaces him “needs to be a people person.”
He said he has made many friendships during his time in office and been able to help many people.
“I’ve looked at it as a ministry,” he said. “I was circuit clerk as a ministry to people and to help people.”
Qualifying for candidates opens Jan. 3 and ends 5 p.m. Feb. 1.
