Incumbent Covington County District 5 Supervisor Arthur Keys led challenger Donnie R. Barnes by only one vote in the Democratic Primary Election. Now, both men will face off in the Tuesday, Aug. 27, runoff.
Keys led Barnes with 368 votes (42.69 percent) to 367 (42.58 percent). James Keys finished in third place with 127 votes for 14.73 percent.
In one of the most talked-about races, Republican D. “Perk” Perkins will face Democrat Johnathon L. Anderson in the Nov. 5 General Election to see who will become the new sheriff of Covington County after they won their respective primary elections.
Each candidate won a majority of the primary voting, with Perkins outdistancing opponent Billy Pitts 2,497-1,362, or 64.37-35.11 percent. Anderson captured the Democratic Primary against two opponents, collecting 1,091 votes, or a majority of 53.61 percent.
Leno Holmes finished second behind Anderson with 596 votes (29.29 percent), followed by Roger Wood Speed with 341 (16.76 percent).
Current Covington County Sheriff Stann Smith did not run for re-election.