Republicans take both contested Bollinger County seats

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Republicans won the two contested elections in Bollinger County, replacing a Democrat circuit clerk and holding on to the presiding commissioner

seat.

Newcomer Travis El­frink defeated challenger and former presiding commissioner Kenny Trentham by 64 percent. Elfrink received 2,646 votes to Trentham's 1,446. Elfrink will replace Wayne Johnson, who chose not to seek

re-election.

In the circuit clerk's race, Jeaneal Vandeven won 2,547 votes to Cindy Yount's 1,613. Vandeven got 61 percent of the vote. She will replace Nick Bollinger, who was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Sharon Lutes, who resigned due to ill health.

All other county races were uncontested.

County Clerk Diane Holzum said Tuesday's turnout was around 50 percent.

The ballot count was delayed Tuesday night because of a glitch in the ballot count. Holzum said the final votes were tallied around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

In statewide races, Bollinger County followed the trend of the 8th District by voting to re-elect Republican incumbent Rep. Jo Ann Emerson. Emerson's 2,869 votes represent nearly 69 percent of the total, compared to Democrat Tommy Sowers' 957 votes.

The controversial "puppy mill" bill, which passed statewide, was voted down in Bollinger County 3,316 to 856.