MISSISSIPPI PRESIDING COMMISSIONER DEFEATED

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County Presiding Commissioner Fred DeField was defeated Tuesday in his re-election bid in a county where winning the Democratic primary is tantamount to election.

DeField was beaten by Jim Blumenberg, the associate commissioner in the 2nd District.

Blumenberg received 1,552 votes; DeField, 1,152; and Oliver "Bubber" Goodin, 765.

There were no Republican candidates for county office.

Charleston voters approved a $1.14 million bond issue for sewer improvements by a vote of 850 to 351.

About 3,500 voters, 47 percent of the county's registered voters, went to the polls.

In the 1st District associate commissioner race, incumbent Homer Oliver defeated Al Cope, 1,197 to 576.

In the contest to replace Blumenberg as 2nd District associate commissioner, Martin Lucas won over three other candidates. Lucas garnered 674 votes; former sheriff Avery Hutcheson, 422; Marion "Bud" Morgan, 278; and Chris Dugan, 271.

In the circuit clerk and recorder's race, incumbent Karen Turley defeated Paul Burgess, 2,559 to 824.

Teresa Bright defeated incumbent Mark French in the contest for prosecuting attorney, 1,750 to 1,474.

In uncontested races, Associate Circuit Judge Lynn Brown, County Clerk Hubert DeLay Jr., Collector Faye Elliott and Treasurer Sandra Smoot were re-elected.