UNION, ALEXANDER, PULASKI: FINAL PRIMARY VOTES ARE IN

ANNA, Ill. -- John Bigler of Anna will become the new Union County state's attorney.

Bigler, a graduate of Anna-Jonesboro High School and Southern Illinois University School of Law, defeated incumbent Christopher Wells in the Democratic primary Tuesday. He will have no opponent in the November general election.

Bigler took an early lead over Wells and finished with 53 percent of the vote to defeat Wells, by a final tally of 2,322 to 2,057.

In another big race in Union County, H. Wesley Wilkins of Cobden, who served as Union County state's attorney from 1984 to 1996, became the Democratic candidate in a three-man race, and will face Republican Mark M. Boie in November. Boie, unopposed in Tuesday's primary, received 1,249 votes.

Wilkins collected 2,143 votes, defeating William B. Ballad Jr., 1,219, and Charles Cavaness, 1,067.

In other contested races in Union County, Jack Eddleman swept a four-man field to emerge as Democratic County Commissioner candidate. Eddleman collected 1,387 votes. Other commissioner candidates were John D. Garner, 1,249; Lee Roy Rendleman, 1,079, and Kevin Cox, 568.

Eddleman will face Larry A Wheaton, who survived a three-man field in the Republican race. Wheaton defeated Tom Bailey, 442, and Homer Foskey, 426.

Democrat Darryl W. Rendleman remains corner for Union County after defeating Everett S. Morgan, 3,112 to 1,260. He has no opponent in November.

Democrat Lorraine Moreland, unopposed for Union County Circuit Clerk, led the balloting with 3,849 votes. She is not opposed in the general election.

Two of three bond issues passed in the county.

Voters in Dongola School District approved funds of $285,000 for classroom additions and improvements but turned down a bond issue for $850,000 to construct a school gymnasium.

Voters approved a $1.7 million bond issue for a new school at Cobden. The Cobden school received a 74 percent approval vote, 863 to 312.

The school construction issue passed in Dongola District 66 by a 62 percent margin, 446 to 272, but voters nixed bonds for a new gymnasium in a close vote, 373 to 351, a margin of 51.5 to 48.5

Meanwhile, all precincts were counted in Pulaski County where there were no local races on the ballot.

The Democrats had only one candidate in the county -- incumbent state's attorney Patrick S. Duffy, who received 389 votes. On the Republican side, all three incumbents were also unopposed. Jerry P. Thurston received 590 votes for county commissioner, Lisa Doctorman had 495 ballots for coroner and Cindy Kennedy received 532 votes for circuit clerk.

Doctorman had been appointed two years ago to fill in a vacancy as county coroner, and Kennedy had been appointed earlier to fill the vacancy for circuit clerk. None of the candidates face opponents in November.

In one state race in Pulaski County, Larry D. Woolard led the balloting among Democrats for state senator in the 59th District, with 318 votes. Incumbent Ned Mitchell had 149 votes and Mark Donham had 16 votes.

Incumbents lost in the only local races in Alexander County.

Four-term incumbent Susan C. Hileman lost in a close race to challenger Sharon McGinness.

McGinness, in her first run for a political office, gathered 1,299 votes, to defeat Hileman, with 1,089 votes, in the Democratic primary. McGinness will face Republican Christopher Bledsoe in November. Bledsoe ran unopposed, gathering 194 votes.

In the only other contested local race, Lewis F. McCroy Jr. led a four-man field for Democratic County Commissioner, with 1,203 votes. Incumbent Charles Bonifield finished second in the balloting, with 553 votes. Other candidates included Robert L. Houston Sr., with 399 votes and Jesse White, with 201 votes. McCroy will be unopposed in November.

Jeffrey B. Fares, incumbent Democratic state's attorney and Democratic incumbent coroner David W. Barkeep each received more than 12,500 votes, led by Farris' 1,539. Farris, who was unopposed in the primary, will face write-in Republican candidate McArthur Allen in November. Allen collected 59 votes as a write-in Tuesday.

Barkett, who received 1,500 votes, is unopposed in November. A write-in candidate on the Republican side of the ballot failed to receive enough votes to qualify.

In voting for the 59th state Senate race, Larry D. Woolard received 1,437 votes and Ned Mitchell had 713 votes.