MCGINNISS, FARRIS WIN IN ALEXANDER COUNTY

CAIRO, Ill. -- Sharon McGinness was guest of honor at a celebration held at McGinness Shopping Center here Tuesday night.

"It's a great feeling," said McGinness, who was a winner in her first try on the political scene.

McGinness, of Cairo, who defeated four-term, 16-year veteran clerk Susan Hileman in the Alexander County Circuit Clerk's primary by a narrow margin of 214 votes, had another tough time in Tuesday's general election, defeating Christopher B. Bledsoe, 2,110 to 1,673.

Bledsoe, of Olive Branch, who works at the Tamms Correctional Center, made a race of his first run on the political scene, and was never out of contention.

With one Cairo precinct left, Bledsoe trailed by only 271 votes, 1,883 to 1,612, with 291 votes at stake in the final precinct. McGinness collected 227 of them.

Meanwhile, in the only other contested local race, Democrat Jeffery Farris of Olive Branch won his third term as Alexander County state's attorney in a race that was closer than expected.

Farris defeated his first-ever Republican competition, McArthur Allen, but couldn't shake Allen until late in the evening, winning 2,365 to 1,527.

With only 537 registered Republicans in the county, both Bledsoe and Allen attracted voters from outside the party. Democrats dominate the county voters, with over 4,200 registered. The remaining voters, 2,863, or about 37 percent, are not affiliated with a party.

Tuesday's Alexander County election was conducted under the watch of new Alexander County Clerk Gloria Burris Patton, who was sworn into her new position following the resignation of Louis Maze, who was indicted last month for allegedly violating election laws. On hand to monitor the vote were members of the Illinois Elections Board.

Patton, who has served in the circuit clerk's office the past 16 years, as chief deputy circuit clerk, was appointed to the fill the vacancy through Nov. 30, 2002.