By Jeremy Weldon

Como Police Chief Earl Burdette won the Democratic Party’s nomination for Panola County Supervisor, District 2 in this week’s primary election runoff. He bested three-term supervisor Vernice Avant, advancing to the General Election in November.

“I want to thank Mrs. Avant for running a clean campaign and for the many years of service that she and the deceased Mr. Robert Avant gave to Panola County and especially the citizens of District 2,” Burdette said Wednesday.

“If I get elected to represent the citizens I will do my best to carry on their work and to make improvements where they are needed,” he said.

Avant and Burdette advanced to the runoff after the Aug. 6 election. Crenshaw Mayor Oscar Barlow, who finished third, threw his support to the Avant campaign, but in the final balloting Burdette won 561-400.

Avant won three of the district’s five precincts: 26-20 at Pleasant Grove Fire Station, 52-45 at Longtown Fire Station, and 99-35 at Crenshaw Old City Hall. Burdette carried the two boxes with the most votes, though – winning 198-105 at Sardis Library and 263-118 at Macedonia-Concord – to take the race.

He will face two Independent candidates in the General Election on Nov. 5. Both Keith Mothershead and Tim Holliday have run unsuccessfully for the seat in previous years.

Mothershead lost by fewer than 150 votes to Avant four years ago, and the November race is expected to be close.

About 10 percent of the registered voters in District 2 cast ballots in the runoff, but the General Election will draw a much larger turnout with close races expected in the Tate Reeves-Jim Hood contest for Governor and the Sheriff Dennis Darby-Shane Phelps race for Panola County sheriff.