Election: County results do not reflect state outcome
Staff reporter
Voter turnout in Marion County was more than 40 percent Nov. 7, which is a better than average turnout for general elections.
There were no surprising results with a typically strong showing of Republican supporters.
Despite Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Barnett's victory with county voters, he did not fare as well on the state level, losing to incumbent Governor Kathleen Sebelius.
The same was true of Paul Morrison, Democratic candidate for attorney general, who received the most votes statewide but not in Marion County. Morrison soundly defeated incumbent attorney general Phill Kline throughout the state.
Republican candidate for state representative of the 70th district Don Dahl was unopposed but there were nearly 160 write-ins tabulated. The two names with the most nods were David Mueller of Tampa and Harry Bennett of Marion who had nearly a dozen votes each.
Bob Hein, incumbent county commissioner of the 1st District, also was unopposed, and had 71 write-in votes.
Peabody city voters passed a one percent sales tax for street improvements, joining other cities in the county with a city sales tax for local improvements.
New equipment, programs, and a significant number of provisional ballots and write-in candidates prevented the Marion County Clerk's office to have all of the information tabulated at press time.
The results of township clerk races will be announced in next week's edition of this newspaper.
