Thursday, August 9, 2007
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Thursday, August 9, 2007 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | Photo Gallery |
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Primary
Election 2007 By SUE WATSON
Kenny Dickerson and Don Randolph won re-election in two of the high profile Marshall County primary races Tuesday night. Dickerson received 72 percent of the vote to claim a fourth term in the sheriff’s office. Unofficial press-time totals with all 24 precincts reporting, plus absentee ballots counted, showed him with 5,658 votes to Jimmy Brown’s 2,190. “It’s certainly an honor,” Dickerson said. “I appreciate the confidence the people of Marshall County have placed in me again. “My record speaks for itself, and obviously the people agree with that. I stand committed to giving my best to the people of Marshall County.” Randolph was successful in his bid for a second term as county superintendent of education. He defeated challenger Mike Hamblin 2,656 votes to 2,170. “It’s been a long night, and I feel good,” Randolph said from his home at 12:20 a.m. “The last three and a half years have been very rewarding. The achievement levels are being raised, and we will continue to work every day to raise those levels and spend the tax dollars wisely.”
All election totals are unofficial until certified this week. Plus, affidavit ballots had not been counted at press-time. Shirley Byers is the new county attorney, defeating incumbent Fred Belk Jr. 4,061 votes to 3,601. She got 53 percent of the vote. “I deeply appreciate all the support I had from the campaign workers and the voters,” Byers said. “Everyone was so supportive, and that was an encouragement to go on in the campaign.”
One hotly-contested race with four candidates, including three who work in the tax assessor’s office, heads to an August 28 runoff. Top vote-getters in the tax assessor’s race were Juanita Dillard with 2,517 (33 percent) and Donna Olita with 2,081 (27 percent). The two go to an August 28 runoff. Other unofficial totals in the race included Annie Moffitt Lucas with 1,721 and Casey Hillmer with 1,397. Incumbent Ronnie Johnson did not seek reelection. Another race moving to a runoff is the one for coroner. Incumbent John Garrison led the ticket with 2,959 votes (40 percent). Close behind and making the runoff was James Richard Anderson with 2,662 votes (36 percent). James Green got 1,792 votes. Yet another closely-watched contest Tuesday, the one with the most candidates, was the run for District 5 supervisor. Incumbent Ronnie Joe Bennett breezed through the Democratic primary. He got 1,287 votes (54 percent). Lake Johnson finished second with 699 votes (30 percent). Others in the race were Kenneth McMullen (216), Jimmy Siddall (114) and Rex Yeager (47). Bennett will now go head-to-head with Republican opponent Edward Overall, a former supervisor, in the November general election. George Zinn was re-elected District 4 supervisor. He received almost 69 percent of the vote, beating George Powell 1,119 to 498. “I want to thank my supporters for giving me the opportunity to serve another four years, and I pledge to do just that,” Zinn said. “Now that you gave me that opportunity, I ask you to support me in these endeavors.” Willie Flemon easily won the primary in the District 1 supervisor’s race. He beat Richard Novarese 837 votes (62 percent) to 515 votes. Flemon will face Republican opponent Scott Foster in November. Supervisors Eddie Dixon (District 2) and Keith Taylor (District 3) were unopposed. Both will serve their third terms. Mae Garrison and incumbent Eugene Brown Jr. appear headed to the August 28 runoff. Garrison led the race for justice court judge North District with 852 votes (31 percent). Brown was next with 732 votes (26 percent). Close behind in third was Winfred Allen with 675 votes (24 percent). Clencie Cotton got 533 votes.
Don Cothern will serve a fourth term as South District constable, winning easily with 65 percent of the vote. He cruised by opponent Terry Kilpatrick 2,958 votes to 1,566. Johnny Fitch got the Democratic nod Tuesday night for North District constable. He bested two challengers with 54 percent of the vote. His unofficial total was 1,483, to Mark Turner’s 903 and Billy Jamieson’s 348. Fitch will face Republican candidate George Kahrs in the November general election. Circuit clerk Lucy Carpenter was unopposed. She will serve her a ninth term. Ernest Cunningham, justice court judge south district, was unopposed. He will serve a sixth term. Incumbent chancery clerk Chuck Thomas was unopposed on the Democratic side. He will face Republican candidate Tim Wilson in November. Unofficial Marshall County totals in some district races included:
In a statewide race of interest, Byhalia’s own Gary Anderson, a Democratic candidate for commissioner of insurance, rolled in his home county. He received almost 70 percent of the vote in Marshall County in the primary. He was also leading incumbent George Dale statewide at press-time. For updated results on these races and others, visit the county website at www.marshallcoms.org. Official precinct-by-precinct results from the 24 Marshall County precincts will be printed in next week’s South Reporter. Almost 50 percent of the registered voters in the county voted in the primaries on Tuesday. |
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