JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Who will officially be able to run for the mayor of Jackson is in the hands of the Jackson Municipal Democratic Executive Committee, and two candidates are in question.

The committee came into Thursday’s meeting questioning Keyshia Sanders and Ali Shamsiddeen because they don’t meet certain qualifications. The committee voted to table their decision.

Twenty-two unofficial candidates have put their name into the mayor race.

“We look for and ensure residency is followed, that you’re not a convicted felon, you are registered voter, so on and so forth,” explained Jacquie Amos, a member of the committee.

Fourteen of the candidates are Democrats who sent in qualifying forms. Sanders and Shamsiddeen were both tabled.

Sanders was the former Constituent Service Manager for the City of Jackson, who pled guilty to wire fraud in January 2023. She admitted to obtaining tens of thousands of dollars in grant money intended for artistic projects in the city.

Sanders was sentenced to five years of probation and was ordered to pay $54,379.70 in restitution and a special assessment fee of $100.

“I’m not going to continue to talk about that. That is something that was done and handled and taken care of and resolved,” she said.

Shamsidden, an attorney, is a former city judge. His attorney handed a deed to the committee for review. Shamsidden’s attorney stated that his client’s fiancée had a deed that gave him ownership of the home where they reside in Jackson.

“It is not an official recorded deed. The deed on record in the Chancery Clerk’s Office has Mr. Shamsiddeen living at the address of, let me say, 4353 Siwell Road, which is a Jackson address, but it has a voting record in the town of Byram,” said a member of the committee.

Shamsiddeen said 2017 was the last time he voted in Byram.

“I moved with my fiancée to my present address three years ago. So, you know that that shouldn’t even have any significance to where I am right now,” he said.

Shamsiddeen still has the property on Siwell Road.

The committee will take additional time to make their decision. They intend to notify the two candidates about their decision by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 10.

Amos said they will announce who the final candidates are by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11.