Randolph County election totals

Two of the hottest races on the Randolph County ballot were the District 13 Senate race pitting incumbent Gerald Dial against Tim Sprayberry, both Republicans. In this county Sprayberry beat Dial with 1,355 or 60.87 percent of the vote to Dial’s 871 or 39.13 percent. Dial, however, won Lee County by more than 900 votes and with all precincts district-wide having reported, was the winner with 51 percent of the vote, defeating Sprayberry 7,272 to 6,849 votes. Dial will face Democrat Darrell Turner in November.

The other race of great interest here is second-time candidate Bob Fincher, who unsuccessfully sought to unseat veteran District 37 representative Richard Laird in the last election. With Laird not seeking re-elecction, Fincher defeated first-time candidate Bryant Whaley for the Republican nomination. In Randolph County, Fincher garnered 1,519 or 66.54 percent of the vote to Whaley’s 764 or 33.46 percent. District-wide, Fincher won with 2,921 votes to Whaley’s 2,147. Fincher will face Democrat Josh Burns in November.

The other big race locally was for revenue commissioner to replace Josh Burns, who is the Democratic candidate for the District 37 House slot. This race has brought out a number of candidates in both parties.

On the Democratic side there will be a runoff between the high vote getter Pamela D. Taylor, who had 567 votes or 36.82 percent, and Chris Holloway, with 400 votes or 25.97 percent. To win outright you have to win 50 percent of the votes, plus one. The runoff will be July 15. Other candidates and their totals are: Joe Tom Bradley-158 votes and 10.26 percent;

Bronwyn Bishop Rampy with 95 votes and 6.17 percent and

Wyatt Wright III with 320 votes and 20.78 percent of the vote.

On the Republican side there will be another runoff for the revenue commissioner position between veteran politician Doyle Allen and newcomer Rich Phillips. Phillips was the high vote getter with 869 votes and 40.27 percent to Allen’s 769 or 35.63 percent. Ron Bass received 520 votes or 24.10 percent.

Probate Judge George Diamond and absentee manager Chris May said the election went smoothly with no problems. They both said this first time the photo I.D. was required to vote posed no problems.

There were six provisional ballots, which the party heads will look at next Tuesday and determine if they will be counted as legitimate votes.

It was a low turnout election with 3,903 out of 15,121 active registered voters going to the polls or about 25 percent.

On the Democratic side, with only two races on the ballot, 1,548 cast ballots while on the Republican side 2,355 or 60.34 percent voted. There was some speculation Democrats crossed over to cast ballots in the Republican races.

The only other race on the Democratic ballot here was the governor’s race between Kevin Bass and Parker Griffith. Griffith emerging victorious in the county and statewide and will face Republican incumbent Robert Bentley in the Nov. 4 general election. Bass got 435 votes or 40.81 percent while Griffith got 631 votes or 59.19 percent in Randolph County.

Other races on the Republican ballot are incumbent governor Robert Bentley who took 80.24 percent or 1,766 of Randolph County votes over challengers Stacy Lee George with 187 votes or 8.50 percent and Bob Starkey with 248 votes or 11.27 percent. Stan Cooke was beaten by incumbent Lt. Governor Kay Ivey here. Cooke had 822 or 40.31 percent while she had 1,217 votes or 59.69 percent. She also won statewide.

Thomas Casson’s challenge to veteran Third Congressional District U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers fell far short in Randolph County, 562 votes to Rogers’ 1,663, or 25.26 percent to 74.74 percent. Rogers also easily carried the district. The district encompasses portions of Montgomery and the entirety of Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Lee, Macon, Randolph, Russell, St. Clair, Talladega and Tallapoosa counties.

Running for Secretary of State where there is no incumbent were Reese McKinney, John Merrill and Jim Perdue. Merrill was the top vote getter in the county with 794 votes or 41.86 percent. Following him was Perdue with 674 votes or 35.53 percent with McKinney trailing with 429 votes or 22.61 percent. Merrill and McKinney will be in a runoff.

There is no incumbent in the state auditor race due to Samantha Shaw being ineligible for another term. Running for the position are: Dale Peterson with 494 votes or 28.28 percent, Hobbie L. Sealy with 135 votes or 7.73 percent, Adam Thompson with 297 votes or 17 percent and high vote getter Jim Zeigler with 821 votes or 46.99 percent. Zeigler and Peterson will be in a runoff.

Public Service Commission Place No. 1 Incumbent Jeremy H. Oden was handily beaten in the county by Kathy Peterson’s 1,068 votes or 60.44 percent to his 699 votes or 39.56 percent. High vote getter here for Public Service Commission Place No. 2 was incumbent Terry Dunn with 561 votes or 33.12 percent. Jonathan Barbee received 222 votes  or 13.11 percent; Chris “Chip” Beeker Jr. received 512 votes or 30.22 percent and Phillip Brown received  399 votes or 23.55 percent. The statewide totals put Beeker and Dunn in a runoff.

Incumbent State School Board of Education District No. 2 Betty Peters came out ahead of Barry R. Sadler in Randolph County with 989 votes or 53.46 percent to Sadler’s 861 votes or 46.54 percent. Peters also won the district.