Unofficial results from Tuesday’s primary runoff election
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Freedom of Choice: Two people enter a polling place Tuesday in Picayune. Polls were open all day for the runoff. Photo by Jesse Wright.
The unofficial election results are in from Tuesday’s primary runoff race, and at least one incumbent is out and another hangs on by one vote.
In Pearl River County, Melinda Smith Bowman led the Republican race for chancery clerk with 3,728 votes, beating out incumbent David Earl Johnson, who received 2,909 votes.
Johnson will step down at the end of this term after serving the county for 16 years.
According to previous Item coverage, Bowman said she wants to move the county toward a “brighter and more prosperous future.”
Bowman has nearly nine years of experience dealing with public relations while working with NASA as a public affairs specialist and newspaper editor. For the past four years, she’s worked in the civil and criminal court division within the Pearl River County Circuit Court, the Item previously reported.
For the circuit clerk office, Nance Fitzpatrick Stokes led the ticket with 3,822 votes, beating Sian B. Fazende who received 2,746 votes. Stokes will run against Democratic candidate Jeff Brady in the general election in November.
It was a close race for Supervisor District 3. Incumbent Dennis W. Dedeaux eked out a win by just one vote, 1,014 against Hudson Holliday’s 1,013 votes. These results could change, however, as absentee and affidavit ballots have not been counted.
Dedeaux has served the county for the past four years. He previously told the Item that he plans to continue serving “the people for the next four years to move the county forward.”
For the position of Constable Southeast, incumbent Ray Merle Bennett led with 991 votes beating ‘Dusty’ Dillard, Jr. who received 657 votes.
Mike Tyson led the Pearl River County ticket with 1,760 votes beating J.M. ‘Mike’ Seymour who received 881 votes for the Senate District 47 seat.
Tony Smith led the Pearl River County ticket for Public Service Commissioner with 4,008 votes beating S.F. ‘Sam’ Britton, who received 2,448 votes.
The winners of the primary election and Tuesday’s run-off will be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
Circuit Clerk Vickie Hariel said 284 absentee ballots, 32 affidavit ballots and one emergency ballot still need to be counted.
