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General Election 2012: Authenticating write-ins 2012-11-07 - Adair Annex, 424 Public Square, Columbia, KY - Photo by Ed Waggener. The only slowdown in the election night tally didn't live up to its advance billing. The count did take longer than on similar nights in this age of modern electronics, but write-in votes were authenticated quickly and with hardly a one rejected by the election officials. From left, above Are Adair County Clerk Deputies Casi Melton and Melissa Fletcher (behind monitor), and Adair County Court Sheila Blair. Standing are Sheriff and Elections Board Member Harrison Moss; and Election board member and nephew of Paul Barry Hayes and Michael Morris, Ben Loy; while Board of Elections Member Billy Curry kept an eye on the situation, from his vantage point off camera. Write-ins did well, with one, James "Jimmy" Bennett, Mary Ritchie's son, winning a seat on the Adair County Soil and Water Conservation Board, with 134 write-in votes, a few less than received by Brent Baker (3,224), Judith Goodin (2,888), and Larry Keith Burton (2,381). Well-organized, though unscuccessful, were mounted by write in school board candidates Rhonda Cox in Division 4, and Bill Steele in Division 5. Cox lost to incumbent Adair County School Board Chairman Floyd Burton, 696-489, Steele lost to Incumbent Mike Harris 935-389. Though a bit more difficult, new paper ballots, filled in before the ballot is scanned, give write-in candidacies much greater chance of success. Talk in the county room was that no write-in candidate had ever won in Kentucky. If that's so, Jimmy Bennett's dramatic victory for Adair County Soil and Conservation Commissioner may go into the World Record Book of Guinnesses. Anyway, they are celebrating in his home, Bliss, KY, where supporters were jubilant, according to Bliss Political Potentate Miz Vickie Pike. Permalink | Comments?

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