By Billy Davis

Panola County Supervisor Vernice Avant failed to hit the 50-percent mark in Tuesday’s special election, but she still finished with a comfortable lead over a slate of challengers.

Avant now enters a November 24 runoff with the second place finisher, William Pride.

Avant finished with 45 percent, or 614, of 1,347 votes cast according to unofficial results. Pride finished with 280 votes – just 20 percent of total votes cast.

The election results, which include absentee ballots, came from six precincts in Panola County’s District 2. Another 15 affidavit ballots were being counted Tuesday night.

Tim Holliday finished third with 11 percent, the only other candidate to finish in double digits. He finished with 161 votes.

Other candidates and their totals were Clyde Sellers and Paul Henderson, who tied with 114 votes (eight percent), and Johnny D. Salter, with 64 votes (four percent.)

In the only other race on the ballot, Verna Hunter beat Cecil G. Dowden to win a North Panola School Board seat.  

Hunter bested Dowden 228-112, pulling in 67 percent of 340 votes cast.