Locals to choose 4 officials; runoff expected in revenue commissioner race

Today’s primary election will narrow the field of candidates seeking several local and state offices in the general election in November.

Polls are open today from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. to accommodate all registered voters with valid forms of photo identification.

Turnout is expected to be low statewide and locally. Secretary of State Jim Bennett, is estimating that only 25 percent to 27 percent of Alabama’s 2.85 million voters will participate in today’s party primaries. That is down from 32 percent four years ago, when Alabama had hotly contested races for governor in both party primaries.

Covington County voters will elect a sheriff, a coroner, and a county school board member for Place 5 today. Each of those races has only two candidates, and no Democratic challenger; hence the primary winner will be elected. Those candidates are:

• For sheriff, Chris Byrd and incumbent Dennis Meeks;

• For coroner, Wilson “Eddie” Rowell and incumbent Norman Hobson; and,

• For BOE, Terry Holley and incumbent Jimmy Prestwood.

A runoff is expected in the primary race for revenue commissioner, where five candidates are vying to fill the office being vacated by retiring Revenue Commissioner Janice Hart.

One of those candidates , Cindy Cook, Lorene McCart, Meredith Peters, George “Chuck” Patterson or Gwen Kelley would have to receive half of the votes cast in the race today, plus one to win. If no one receives more than half of the votes cast, the top two vote getters will face each other in a runoff in July.

Covington County voters also will join voters in Pike, Coffee and Dale counties to select a Republican nominee for the state senate District 31, where four-term incumbent, Sen. Jimmy Holley of Elba, faces challenger Garreth Moore of Enterprise. Moore is a former state representative.

The winner of the primary, in which the two Republicans have spent more than $500,000, will face Larry Greenwood in the November General Election.