Still counting ballots in White County

Two weeks after the May 20 primary, election officials in White County are still trying to determine the winner in a few races, and the recount could affect one legislative race. State law requires the races to be certified within ten days of an election.

Officials began a second recount yesterday morning after wide discrepancies in the first recount. At stake are races for district judge and justice of the peace (on both ballots). State Representative Mark Pate (D-Bald Knob) received 36% in the four way race for district judge after the first count and 46% after the recount. Unless the numbers change again significantly, he'll face one of the candidates to be determined in a November runoff. The race for circuit judge has been settled now that circuit judge candidate Mark Derrick withdrew his request for a recount on Monday.

The Democratic primary in House District 58, of which northern White County is a part, included four candidates in the May 20 election. L.J. Bryant made the runoff to face Jody Dicksinon by 26 votes over Jamie Darling. This second recount could potentially change that race, even though early voting has already begun in the runoff between Bryant and Dickinson. Here's more from the Searcy Daily Citizen.

Update (Thursday): The county's second recount won't affect the House District 58 race, and the recount continues today at the White County Courthouse in Searcy.