With all precincts reporting, the unofficial tallies are in and with only 42.51 percent of the county’s registered voters showing up to the polls, the standings for the contested races in Sunflower County are as follows.
For Sheriff, James Haywood got 4,551 votes, which equates to 71.46 percent of the ballots cast in that race. Jerry Pate was second with 1,582—25.97 percent and Hollis Myrick pulled in 156 votes—2.57 percent.
In the race for the redrawn Senate District 13, Democrat Sarita Simmons commanded the lead over Republican B. C. Hammond. Simmons had 65.68 percent of the votes cast—2,936 to 34.3 percent—1,533.
The race for the Senate District 22 seat, which also had its territory altered due to the lines being changed shortly before the election, pitted Republican Hayes Dent against Democrat Joseph C. Thomas Sr. Thomas took 73.47 percent—1,332, whereas Dent only acquired 481 votes—26.53 percent.
In the Central District Transportation Commissioner’s race former Senator Willie Simmons took a commanding lead in Sunflower County with 4,513 votes—71.39 percent to Republican opponent Butch Lee’s 1,806—28.57 percent.
There was also one County Supervisor’s race up for grabs. In District 5, incumbent Gloria Dickerson brought home 699 votes—58.01 percent over challenger Barry W. Bryant who had 505 votes earning him 41.91 percent of the ballots cast.
Only one contest warranted a runoff and that was the three-person challenge for the District 4 school board position. Neither candidate earned the 50 plus 1 votes needed to be declared the winner, so the top two vote getters—David Ruffin and Evelyn La’Fay Woods will face each other in a runoff in three weeks.
Ruffin had 493 votes—40.31 percent, Woods had 370 votes—30.25 percent and the third person in that race, Willie S. Nevills was close with 357 ballots for 29.19 percent.
The numbers represented here do not include the affidavit votes, which had not been reported at press time. However, Circuit Clerk Carolyn Hamilton said only 15 affidavits exist for the District 4 race and those will not be enough to change the participants in the runoff.
