Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Cobb Unseats DuCharme; Box Edges Westmoreland

Election Results Grid

In what was thought would be a large voter turnout in Tuesday's Primary Election in Nevada County because of so many local races, 53% of the voters cast their vote. Approximately 3,323 of 6,172 registered voters went to the polls in the county.

The unofficial results indicated an upset in the treasurer's race with Sydney DuCharme, the incumbent, being defeated by new-comer Karen Cobb, her first run for an office. Unofficially, Cobb won 1851 to 1383.

DuCharme was first elected 14 years ago. She was elected in 1984 after Dick Stewart, who was ready to retire, did not run for the position.

In the race for assessor, two more new-comers, Judy Westmoreland and Pamela Box, went down to the wire with Box pulling out a 1654 to 1628 win. Box presently works in the assessor's office.

In a race that often was controversial, Sheriff Steve Otwell was reelected. Former Sheriff Harold Vines, who was defeated two years ago by Otwell, challenged the incumbent.

Otwell, during Vines' term, had been an auxiliary deputy.

This year's campaign between the two candidates had allegations swinging early, as someone unknown passed out flyers critical of Vines' personal conduct while in office and in private life after leaving office.

Supporters for Vines, and Vines himself before the campaign was over, attacked Otwell for his conduct as well, most notably his non-certification and his absenteeism.

J.P. Westbrook, who was an auxiliary deputy under Vines and Otwell, but who quit the first year under Otwell, attacked Otwell regularly with allegations beginning several months ago.

Voters in four boxes went for Vines while all the other boxes were for Otwell.

In the races for Circuit/Chancery Judge in District 2 North (Hemp-stead and Nevada Counties) Position Two, it appears there will be a run-off between Duncan Culpepper and Keith Wood.

Culpepper, a resident of Prescott, carried Nevada County easily. He had 2148 votes, Wood received 821 and Joe Short got 299.

Voters in Hempstead County appeared to be going with Wood, who lives near Blevins.

For Circuit/Chancery Judge District 8 North, Position Two, which also is Nevada and Hemp-stead Counties, Jim Gunter was leading Jim Pedigo by more than a two to one margin in Nevada County. At press time it was not clear what the vote percentage in Hempstead County, but Gunter was winning.

Pedigo lives in Prescott and Gunter lives in Hope.

The vote in Nevada County was 2274 to 954 for Judge Gunter.

New-comer Ricky Ragsdale, who is general manager of the Picayune, challenged Mayor Howard Taylor for the position. Taylor won every box.

Mayor Taylor won 71% of the vote, defeating Ragsdale 847 to 342.

Incumbent Danny Beavert defeated his opponent, Elaine Williams, in bid for Prescott Alder-man in Ward Two, Position Two. The vote was 686 to 477.

In Ward Four, Position Two, challenger Susie Meeks won over incumbent Donna Wingfield, 608 to 556. Wingfield won two years ago by defeating Mrs. Meeks' brother-in-law, Vernon Meeks.

Al Plyler, the incumbent, defeated two challengers in the constable's race for Missouri Township by grabbing 821 votes. Willie Williams received 451 and Frank Sheets won 215 votes.

There were two races for Justice of the Peace in the county.

In District Three, incumbent Danny Miller was challenged by Rudy Preston, who had just moved here a few months ago from Arkadelphia. The final tab was 556-106 in favor of Miller.

In District Eight, Arval Mason and Kevin Hamilton ran for the right to sit on the Quorum Court. Mason won it 354 to 228.

Judy Smith gave up her job as State Representative in District 37 to run for Congress in the Fourth Con-gressional District. Her husband, Sylvester L. Smith, faced Robert J. White for the position. Both live in Ouachita County. In this county, White won 168 to 87. The vote from Ouachita County was unknown at press time.

Statewide, Blanche Lincoln Lambert and Winston Bryant apparently will be in a run-off for U.S. Senate, the former position of Dale Bumpers.

Bryant led the ticket in Nevada County with 1535 votes. Lambert had 931, Scott Ferguson had 297 and Nate Coulter received 415 votes in the county. The vote across the state was not available at press time.

In the Republican race for Governor, Mike Huckabee was easily winning statewide and in the county.

Not all the figures in this story or in the grid on page one tally with that of the county clerk's office, but given the box by box count, they add up.