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Voter turnout good in county, state By BARRY BURLESON
Editor  | Photo by Sue Watson
Busy night
(From left)
Circuit clerk Lucy Carpenter and election commissioners Marie Palmer
and Betty Whaley are busy at the courthouse Tuesday night, Nov. 2,
during the vote tabulation process. |
Lucy Carpenter guessed wrong about voter turnout in Marshall County Tuesday, Nov. 2, and she’s glad. “I
was looking for about 6,000,” the long-time circuit clerk said. “I
underestimated. The turnout was really good, especially considering the
weather (rain).” Just over 50 percent of registered voters in the county participated in the election – 9,964 out of 19,847.  | Photo by Sue Watson
Close watch
Mark Turner, who was elected to the county school board, keeps up with returns. |
In
Marshall County, Mark Turner and Harvey L. Garrison won school board
races. In District 1, Turner beat incumbent Terry Rodgers 546 votes to
475. In District 2, Garrison retained his seat by defeating Raymond
Spight 634 to 562. Other races on the ballot were district contests, involving tallies from more than one county. U.S. House of Representatives
1st Congressional District Republican Alan Nunnelee was the winner – getting 55 percent of the vote to incumbent Travis Childers’ 41 percent. In Marshall County, Childers was the leader – 5,981 votes to 3,661. Court of Appeals, District 1, Position 2 Donna L. Barnes was reelected with 54 percent of the vote to 46 percent for her challenger, Kelly L. Mims. In Marshall County, Barnes led 4,002 votes to 3,315. Chancery Court Judge, District 18, Place 2 Edwin H. Roberts Jr. kept his position – getting 69 percent of the vote districtwide to 31 percent for Helen Kennedy Robinson. Roberts led in Marshall County – 4,390 votes to 3,166. Circuit Court Judge, District 3, Place 2 Once again, the incumbent won. Robert W. Elliott received 57 percent of the vote to Shirley Byers’ 43 percent. But Byers, of Holly Springs, did well in her home county of Marshall. She got 5,589 votes to Elliott’s 3,596. Circuit Court Judge, District 3, Place 3 There was no incumbent in this race due to the retirement of Judge Henry Lackey. John
Gregory dominated his two opponents. He claimed 63 percent of the vote
to Tom Levidiotis’ 23 percent and Dave Rozier’s 14 percent. In Marshall County, Gregory was equally as strong. He received 4,732 votes to 1,421 for Levidiotis and 1,172 for Rozier. Others on the ballot Unopposed
were Glenn Alderson, chancery court judge, District 18, Place 1; Andrew
K. Howorth, circuit court judge, District 3, Place 1; and Jimmy
Maxwell, Court of Appeals, District 1, Position 1. Statewide turnout The
Secretary of State’s office also reported very high voter turnout in
the November 2 election, surpassing even the 2007 gubernatorial
election, said Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann. In
2007, approximately 743,900 people cast votes in the gubernatorial
election in Mississippi. Preliminary totals showed the November 2 voter
turnout exceeded that amount. Hosemann said there
were relatively few complications at the more than 1,800 precincts
statewide. There were long lines at some polling places due to
higher-than-expected turnout and not enough voting machines placed in
some precincts. Also, additional ballots had to be printed in more than
one county. The Secretary of State’s office
maintained an Elections Hotline during Election Day and received 470
phone calls and 119 text messages from voters and election officials.
The Secretary of State’s office also had staff members present in 29
counties. |
