PERRY INCUMBENTS WIN

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Incumbents made strong showings in Tuesday's primary elections in Perry County.

Jim Taylor won his second election for public administrator with 1,364 votes to Tammy Tarrillion's 953 votes and LaVesta Collin's 255.

Taylor didn't work any harder during this campaign than for his first.

"I made some appearances at some picnics and other places, and I put up posters around the county," Taylor said. "I really didn't know what to expect, but I knew if I was going to win at all, I'd win handily." Taylor credited his challengers with running good campaigns.

Primary races for sheriff, coroner, assessor and surveyor did not offer any competition. Except for the coroner's race, where Democratic incumbent Herbert Miller will face Republican Bob Young, the other candidates were alone on the ballot with no challenge in November.

Sheriff Gary Schaaf received 2,307 votes.

Assessor Larry White received 2,154 votes.

Surveyor candidate Tim Baer got 1,953 votes.

Overall, turnout for the primary was disappointing, said Randy Taylor, county clerk. He had expected about 40 percent of the 10,467 registered voters in Perry County to come to the polls, but roughly half of that percentage voted.

"The weather was a little threatening today," Taylor said. "It doesn't take much of an excuse for people not to vote."