Ripley County Sheriff's Race Likely Headed For Recount

The race for Ripley County sheriff is not decided yet.

Unofficial totals on Tuesday night gave Sheriff Mike Barton a one vote edge over challenger Richie Phillips (1,307-1,306).

Those numbers won’t become official until Friday afternoon when the county’s election verification board meets to certify the results. Either way, the official outcome likely will be headed for a recount request by the loser.

The sheriff’s race was among three in the county in which no Democrat challenger awaited the Republican primary winner.

Keith Whiteside was the winner in a four-man Republican battle for western district commissioner. He will take office on Jan. 1.

Donna Barnett was the winner over Steven Ivy for public administrator. She also will take office Jan. 1.

gher than expected with 2,920 residents casting a ballot. In the 2018 primary, 2,641 people voted.

In the contested race for eastern district commissioner, incumbent Gary Emmons was the winner over challenger Dan Reynolds. Emmons gained 927 votes to 379 for Reynolds.

Emmons will also have a challenger in the November general election in Democrat Gene Buckhanan.

In the western district race, Whiteside totaled 475 votes, followed by Jerry Kelly with 370, Gary Featherston 245 and Dennis Meyers 189.

Whiteside will replace incumbent Andy Towell, a Republican, who chose not to seek a second term.

In the public administrator’s race, Barnett outran Ivy in five of six precincts to win with 1,339 votes to Ivy’s 1,206. She will replace current public administrator Diane Knight Moore, who is retiring.

Both candidates for assessor were unopposed in the primary election and will compete on the ballot in November. Republican Randi Ederer picked up 2,168 votes. Democrat Mark Schroeder received 212 votes in the primary.

Incumbents unopposed in both the primary and general election include 36th Judicial Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett, coroner Mike Jackson and county surveyor Troy Ayers.

In statewide races, Ripley County Republicans favored incumbent Governor Mike Parson with 1,661 votes while runner-up Saundra McDowell finished with 499.