The race for Lowndes County District 1 Justice Court Judge was decided
by four-tenths of a percentage point Tuesday night.
Interim Justice Court Judge Chris Hemphill defeated former Justice
Court Judge Ron C. Cooke 430-426, or 50.2 percent-49.8 percent.
Hemphill won despite winning just two of seven voting precincts and a
majority of absentee ballots. With all boxes counted, Cooke held a
nine-vote lead before the absentees were counted.
Hemphill”s biggest victory came in Caledonia, where he received 57
percent of 326 votes, the largest turnout for any precinct. Of a total
14,001 eligible voters in the seven precincts, just 5.79 percent, or
811, voters participated in Tuesday”s runoff election.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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