One chancery judgeship has been decided in Tuesday’s runoff elections, while another is still too close to call.
In the District 14, Place 2 chancery judge race — which includes part of Lowndes and Clay counties — Joe Studdard defeated Carrie Jourdan by more than 1,500 votes.
But in the District 14, Place 1 race, Rodney Faver leads Lee Ann Turner by 133 votes after election day and absentee ballots were counted. There were still 280 affidavits to process in that race, however, as of press time today. That sub-district includes part of Oktibbeha and all of Chickasaw and Webster counties.
In the unofficial totals for the Place 2 runoff, Studdard defeated Jourdan by a 8,977-7,445 margin. Studdard carried both Lowndes and Clay counties. He and Jourdan, both Columbus attorneys, advanced to the runoff after emerging from a three-candidate race in the Nov. 6 general election.
The Dispatch could not reach Studdard by press time.
In the Place 1 runoff, Faver has collected 8,819 votes to Turner’s 8,686 votes. All but 26 of the affidavits left to process are in Oktibbeha County, where Faver already comfortably leads by 915 votes.
Turner carried Chickasaw County by more than 900 votes, and Faver took Webster County by roughly 134.
The two candidates advanced to the runoff from a five-candidate race in the general election.
“This was another very close race,” Turner said in a message to The Dispatch. “No matter the outcome, I appreciate the support and encouragement I received throughout this campaign. I am honored and humbled.”
Faver, through his campaign manager, declined to comment to The Dispatch until the final tally is announced.
The third chancery judge position was determined on Nov. 6, where Paula Drungole-Ellis defeated Roy A. Perkins in Place 3, which covers Noxubee County and parts of Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties.
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