HEAVY TURNOUT CAUSES BOLLINGER COUNTY DELAY

MARBLE HILL - Heavy voter turnout Tuesday slowed ballot counting in Bollinger County.

Ballots were still being counted shortly before midnight and final totals were not in when the Southeast Missourian went to press early this morning.

County officials estimated there was a record voter turnout.

With 12 of 17 precincts reporting in shortly before midnight, Bollinger County Sheriff Dan Mesey was leading his Democratic opponent, Jerry Benfield, by 218 votes, while incumbent Republican First District Commissioner Jerry Woodfin was running ahead of his Democratic challenger, Bob Gray, by 150 votes.

In the second district commissioner's race, Republican challenger Donald Barks was ahead of the incumbent Democrat, Junior Cook, by only 25 votes.

Incumbent Democratic Assessor, Sarah Anderson had a narrow 48-vote margin over her Republican opponent, James Bollinger.

In the race for state representative from the 156th District, former 154th state representative Joseph Driskill was leading his Republican opponent, Gaylord Harvey, by 213 votes. Because of statewide redistricting, Bollinger County, which was in the 154th District, is now a part of the 156th District.

County officials said late Tuesday night that the five precincts remaining to be counted are the largest in the county and could change the outcome of races.