Staff Writer

All three challenged incumbents will return to the Pike County Commission.

Larry Penn, a Republican, received 979 (61.96 percent) votes to defeat Democrat Sherrill Calhoun for the District 3 position. Calhoun received 601 votes and 65 people chose not to cast ballots in that race.

From a hospital bed, District 4 incumbent Ray Goodson, a Democrat, received word he soundly won over Republican Jim Medley. Goodson, who underwent open heart surgery Tuesday afternoon, received 1,286 votes (65.11 percent). Medley received 686 votes. Three write-in votes and 73 under votes (no votes) were cast in that race.

And, in the closest local race, incumbent Karen Berry, a Democrat, won with 1,181 votes (54.10 percent) over Republican John Schmidt for the District 6 seat. Schmidt received 1,000 votes. Two write-in votes were cast in that race and 56 didn’t vote in that race.

After all the votes were counted, Berry expressed appreciation to the District 6 voters for re-electing her.

"That’s their right," Berry said of the election. "And, I appreciate everyone turning out to vote their convictions."

Lawrence Bowden, chairman of the Pike County Republican Party, said he was pleased with the overall results.

"There were some disappointments but, overall, we’ve done well in Pike County," Bowden said.

He said he appreciates Pike County residents going to the polls in high numbers and now asks them to "support our elected officials and push forward to make Pike County a better place to live."

Several local candidates were running unopposed. However, some Pike County voters did offer write-in votes whose names were not known as of press time.

Thomas E. Head III, a Democrat, was the only candidate for Circuit Judge of the 12th Judicial Circuit, Place 1. He received 6,365 votes and 4,174 people didn’t cast ballots in that race.

Incumbent District Judge William G. Hightower, an independent, was also unopposed, and received 5,031 votes with another 64 voters writing in votes.

Circuit Clerk Brenda Peacock, who switched to the Republican Party this time around, and Probate Judge William C. "Bill" Stone, a Democrat, also ran unopposed. Peacock received 6,457 votes with 81 writing in votes and 4,051 choosing not to cast ballots in that race. Stone received 7,468 votes with 48 write-in votes and 3,073 under votes.

Three of the Pike County Commission races were also unopposed. Willie C. Thomas, a Democrat, was unopposed for re-election to the District 1 seat and received 1,151 votes, nine write-in votes and 285 under votes; District 2 Commissioner Larry Meeks, a Republican, received 1,257 votes, 16 write-ins and 445 under votes; and District 5 Commissioner Charlie Harris, a Democrat, received 1,184 votes, 16 write-in votes and 294 under votes.

The two new members of the Pike County Board of Education ­ because of no opposition ­ are Herbert Reynolds, a Democrat, representing District 5, and Adam Register, also a Democrat, representing District 6. Reynolds received 1,190 votes, four write-in votes were cast in that race and 300 didn’t vote in that race. Register received 1,222 votes, 10 write-ins were cast and 1,007 didn’t bother to vote.

Those being elected

constable are: Republican Garry Sanders, Precinct 1; Democrat Joe Lewis Green, Precinct 2; Democrat John F. Sanders Jr., Precinct 5; Republican Marvin "Pete" Jordan, Precinct 6; Republican James Price, Precinct 12; Republican Bruel A. Davis, Precinct 15-1 and Democrat Stephen R. Green, Precinct 18.