BLUMENBERG VICTORIOUS; MISSISSIPPI COUNTY REVOTES ON PRESIDING COMMISSIONER

EAST PRAIRIE -- A reversal of results in the Democratic primary race for Mississippi County presiding commissioner is attributed to heavy publicity that increased voter interest.

Jim Blumenberg regained his position as presiding commissioner after receiving 2,130 votes during a special election Tuesday. Steve Ledbetter received 1,709 votes.

Ledbetter was declared the winner of the Aug. 4 primary when totals indicated he had won 1,185 to 1,180. However, Mississippi County Circuit Judge David Dolan ordered a recount following a hearing on a petition filed by Blumenberg.

State law permits a candidate to call for a recount when the margin of loss is less than 1 percent. The recount narrowed the margin to a two-vote difference, with Ledbetter receiving 1,188 votes to Blumenberg's 1,186.

Dolan later ordered a special election held at the county's expense "to preserve confidence in the election process." An investigation determined election judges in Wilson City had distributed two ballots --one Democratic ballot and one U.S. Taxpayer ballot -- to each registered voter who signed the register during the Aug. 4 primary. At least one voter was issued two Democratic ballots.

Mississippi County Clerk H.L. "Junior" Delay said voter turnout increased from 20 percent in the Aug. 4 primary to 37 percent in Tuesday's special election. There are approximately 10,500 registered voters in Mississippi County.

Increased voter participation coupled with lopsided voting by precincts resulted in the reversal, said Delay.

"One major contributing factor was the fact that in and around the city of East Prairie people voted much, much heavier than they did in August," he said. "Countywide, every precinct had a better turnout than they did in August."

Each of the 11 precincts and the absentee vote total realized an increase of at least 23 percent between the two elections. However, the voter turnout in East Prairie city and East Prairie rural precincts better than doubled, posting increases of 120 and 109 percent, respectively.

"East Prairie votes went nearly 4 to 1 to Blumenberg," said Delay. "It definitely appeared to be a north-county-versus-south-county thing."

Blumenberg operates a business in his hometown of East Prairie. He was first elected associate commissioner in 1988, a position he held for six years before being elected presiding commissioner in 1994.

Ledbetter is a farmer and former associate commissioner. He lives in Bertrand, which is nearer to Charleston, the county seat. He could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Delay said several minor changes were instituted in the special election, which went "smooth as silk." For example, more emphasis was placed on certain portions of election-judge training for the election, he said.

"We went through the same routine training, but a little more emphasis was placed on certain stuff this time," he said. "I covered it the first time, but it wasn't emphasized. This time I emphasized it."

Other changes included increased security presence throughout the day, said Delay. A security guard was posted at one Charleston precinct to eliminate "some minor problems dealing with loitering inside the polling places," he said. East Prairie and Charleston policemen made routine patrols to make sure there were no election laws being violated, he said.

Blumenberg said he believed the election judges made an "honest mistake" during the first primary and credited Delay and election judges for improving the second election.

"We hope we've been awakened and everybody's more alert," Blumenberg said. "I'm not blaming anybody -- mistakes happen. But I think the county clerk has enforced new rules that maybe awakened him and the voters and the election judges."

Blumenberg will face Republican Donald A. Raithel in the November general election. He said he hopes voters will continue to maintain their level of interest and participate in the Nov. 3 general elections.

Said Blumenberg: "We might have had more out at this special election than we will in the November election. I hope we have a good turnout."