(With absentees counted, Dennis Darby appears to have edged out incumbent Otis Griffin Jr. for Panola County Sheriff with 50.08 percent of the vote.

In the contest for Panola Chancery Clerk, incumbent Jim Pitcock appears to have survived a surprisingly strong challenge from political newcomer Michell Putman, garnering 50.24 percent of the ballots cast in the November 8 General Election.

Melissa Meek-Phelps, another political newcomer, handily secured the position of Panola Circuit Clerk.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

David Garner easily held his seat as Tax Assessor and Collector with 75 percent of the vote.

In District Two, incumbent supervisor Vernice Avant won 64 percent of the votes cast.
In District Three John Thomas won 62 percent of the vote for supervisor;
in District Four, Kelly Morris won 45 percent in a race with four opponents; and in District Five, Cole Flint won 75 percent.

In the Judicial District One Justice Court race, incumbent Mike Wilson won 70 percent of votes cast.)

Deputy clerks in the Panola County circuit clerk’s office are counting approximately 1,200 absentee ballots, with those ballots expected to be decisive in two countywide races.

Dennis Darby is leading Sheriff Otis Griffin 6,116-6,140 and Chancery Clerk Jim Pitcock is leading challenger Michell Putman 5,945-5,884.

The counting of absentees is expected to take more than an hour, and as long as two hours, meaning the returns will be known as late as 2 a.m.

The counting of affidavit ballots typically commences the following morning. There are approximately 100 affidavit ballots.

With 32 of 32 precincts reporting (minus absentees), the unofficial Panola County returns were:

Governor
Phil Bryant           9,496
Johnny L. DuPree       5,610

Lt. Governor
Tate Reeves           7,543
Tracella Lou O’Hara Hill   2,361

Attorney General
Jim Hood             7,441
Steve Simpson           4,211

State Auditor
Stacey Pickering       6,442
Ashley Norwood       3,252

State Treasurer
Lynn Fitch           5,584
Connie Moran           5,578
Shawn O’Hara              432

Commissioner of Ag./Commerce
Joel Gill           6,099
Cindy Hyde-Smith       4,996
Cathy L. Toole             390

Commissioner of Insurance
Mike Chaney           6,155
Louis Fondren           5,049
Barbara Dale Webster         387

Public Service Commissioner, Northern District
Boyce Adams           4,840
Brandon Presley       6,727

Transportation Commissioner, Northern District
Ray Minor           6,151
Mike Tagert           5,372

State Senate, District 10
Steve Hale                   7,507
Vann Branch                4,265
(An earlier posting of results transposed totals for Hale and Branch)

House of Representatives, District 10
Nolan Mettetal              3,711
Gregg Hodges              2,315

Panola County Sheriff
Dennis Darby                6,116
Otis Griffin                      6,140

Panola Chancery Clerk
Jim Pitcock                    5,945
Michell Putman             5,884

Panola Circuit Clerk
Melissa Meek-Phelps         7,671
George Williford                  2,218
Karen Waldo Brown                  2,055

Panola Tax Assessor and Collector
David Garner                8.982
Calvin Land                   2,978

Panola Justice Court Judge, District One
Mike Wilson                   2,287
Butch Still                          960

Panola Supervisor, District Two
Vernice Avant                1,398
Bubba Terrell                     603

Panola Supervisor, District Three
John F. Thomas       1,733
Boyce Crowell           1,059

Panola Supervisor, District Four
Kelly Morris                  1,228
Wade Meek                    415
Phil Herron                     461
James Perkins              451
Mike Simon                    161

Panola Supervisor, District Five
Cole Flint                     1,798
Chris Brocato                    583

South Panola School District Trustee
Odell Draper Jr.                 537
Buddy Gray                    1,069

Initiative # 26, Personhood Amendment
Yes               4,458
No                 7,263

Voter ID Amendment
Yes                6,989
No                 4,787

Eminent Domain Restriction Amendment
Yes         8,664
No          3,160