PRIMARY DECIDES NEW MADRID RACE

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The decisions on who will fill the offices in January were all made on the Democratic ticket Tuesday in New Madrid County with none of the candidates facing opposition in November's general election.

In making their selection for county office holders, Democratic voters chose to bring in new persons to fill two offices, returned a former officeholder and kept one incumbent according to unofficial tallies from County Clerk Jim W. Farrenburg.

Barry Bennett will be the new First District County commissioner. Bennett, a newcomer to county politics, easily outdistanced his opponents polling over 42 percent of the vote with 1,008 ballots. Incumbent Robert B. (Bob) Hedgepeth came in second with 639 votes followed by 494 votes for R.D. James and 253 for Don Lancaster.

Incumbent Second District County Commissioner Sam Pikey will stay in office after defeating Jake C. Rone. Pikey polled 1,142 votes to 971 votes for Rone.

In the county's first election for a county auditor, a 54-vote margin put Brian Mauk in office. Mauk with 2,157 votes defeated Howard C. Tillman, who has filled the post since his appointment in 1999. Tillman had 2,103 votes.