Runoffs loom for two county posts

By Staff
Incumbent Norma Faye Sparkman was forced into a runoff Tuesday night when she failed to capture the magical 50 plus one number needed to avoid the late June showdown.
Sparkman will meet Ray Long in the June 25 primary runoff to decide the Democratic nominee for the District Two County Commission seat.
Sparkman received 3,017 votes, or 32 percent, to Long's 2,310 votes, or 25 percent. To avoid a runoff, a candidate must receive 50 plus one percent of the vote.
That was made difficult in the four-candidate field. Others in the race were Ronnie Shipley, who garnered 2,246 or 24 percent and Randy Maner, who received 1,782 votes, or 19 percent.
The winner of the Sparkman/Long race will meet the top vote getter in the Republican runoff. In a close race, John Glasscock and James Ray Bowling advanced to the runoff, with Glasscock receiving 2,532, or 39 percent of the vote, to Bowling's 2,133 votes, or 33 percent. The third candidate in the race, Michael Peebles, received 1,850 votes, or 28 percent.
In the race for Morgan County Sheriff, Greg Bartlett won the Democratic nomination, garnering 6,582, or 72 percent, of the votes. His opponent, Charles Bryant, received 2,533 votes, or 28 percent.
Bartlett will face the winner of the Republican runoff. Ron Livingston and James Hudson both advanced to the runoff. Livingston received 3,749 votes, or 45 percent, to Hudson's 3,016 votes, or 36 percent. The third candidate in the race, Scott Strickland, received 1,544 votes, or 19 percent.