Four-way races for Polk County Sheriff and a county commission seat appeared to be headed toward a runoff, according to unofficial early returns posted Tuesday night.

County election officials said turnout was high for the July 31 General Primary election, at about 36.25 percent. Voters had to request either a Republican or Democratic ballot. The Democratic ballot had no contested primary elections, but the Republican ballot had several for both local and state contests.

One highly anticipated race was that for county sheriff. Four candidates qualified on the Republican ticket seeking the opportunity to face off against incumbent Sheriff J. Kelly McLendon, who ran unopposed as a Democrat.

Johnny Moats carried a slim lead with 2,007 votes, or 36.87 percent. Mike Sullivan was close behind with 1,864 votes, or 34.25 percent. Moats and Sullivan will head into a runoff.

The bottom two candidates were Michael McGee, with 968 votes, or about 17.7 percent, and Randy Stewart, with 604 votes, or about 11 percent).

There was also a four-way race among Republican candidates for Polk County Commission, District 2. A runoff is needed in this race as well, as candidate Ray Barber had just about 36.35 percent, with 1,978 votes, to take the lead. Second place, and also headed to the runoff, is incumbent Ricky Clark, with 1,578 votes, or 29 percent.

The other candidates were Scott McCray, with 1,150 votes (21 percent) and Howard Smith, with 736 (13.5 percent).

Other races

Among the other contested races on local ballots was that for district attorney, Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit. Since the circuit includes Haralson County, vote tallies from both counties were needed to determine the winner.

Challenger Jack Browning appears to have taken the seat from incumbent Robert “Bobby” Brooks. Browning took his home county, Haralson, by 65 percent, while Brooks won less than 60 percent of the vote in Polk County, where he resides.

Brooks had 3,232 votes in Polk County and 1,883 in Haralson County, for a combined total of 5,115. This fell short of Browning’s combined 5,637 votes – 3,369 in Haralson, and 2,268 in Polk.

Two other contested Polk County Commission seats were also on Republican voters’ ballots. No candidates for the seats qualified as Democrats. Results for those races were as follows:

County Commission, District 1

Billy Croker, a past commissioner, won the seat with 3,123 votes, (56.6 percent), to incumbent Cleve Hartley’s 2,392 votes (43.4 percent).

County Commission, District 3

Challenger Stefanie Drake Burford won the seat, with 2,997 votes, or 56.2 percent, to incumbent Larry Lamar Reynold’s 2,335 votes, or 43.8 percent);

County wide results for all races:

Public Service Commission Eaton R

Chuck Eaton (i)-2360 (46.22 percent)

Matt Reid-2746 (53.78 percent)

Public Service Commission D

Stephen Oppenheimer 703 (100 percent)

Public Service Commission Wise R

Pam Davidson-2859 (56.59 percent)

Stan Wise (i)-2193 (43.41 percent)

U.S. House District 14 R

Tom Graves (i) 4233 (100 percent)

U.S. House District 14 D

Daniel Grant-639 (100 percent)

State Senate District 31 R

Bill Carruth-2211 (39.95 percent)

Bill Heath(i)-2732 (49.36 percent)

J.K. Rogers-592 (10.7 percent)

State House District 16R

Jennifer Hulsey-2246 (40.23 percent)

Trey Kelley-3337 (59.77 percent)

State House District 16 D

Rick Crawford(i)-818 (100 percent)

District Attorney R

Robert Brooks(i)-3232 (58.76 percent)

Jack Browning-2268 (41.24 percent)

Judge Probate Court R

Bobby Bersky-1743 (32.19 percent)

Linda Smith-3671 (67.81 percent)

Clerk Superior Court R

Sheila Wells (i)-4776 (100 percent)

Sheriff R

Michael McGee-968 (17.78 percent)

Johnny Moats-2007 (36.87 percent)

Randy Stewart-604 (11.10 percent)

Mike Sullivan-1864 (34.25 percent)

Sheriff D

J. Kelly McLendon (i)-787 (100 percent)

Tax Commissioner R

Mike Hogg-1930 (34.48 percent)

Dorothy Wood (i)-3668 (65.52 percent)

Tax Commissioner D

Kathy M. Cole-723 (100 percent)

Surveyor D

W. Vann Angel (i)-684 (100 percent)

Coroner R

L. Litesey III. (i)-4881 (100 percent)

Chief Magistrate R

Jean Crane (i)-4605 (100 percent)

County Commissioner District 1 R

Billy Croker-3123 (56.63 percent)

Cleve Hartley (i)-2392 (43.37 percent)

County Commissioner District 2 R*

Ray Barber-1978 (36.35 percent)

Ricky Clark (i)-1588 (29.00 percent)

Scott McCray-1150 (21.13 percent)

Howard Smith-427 (13.52 percent)

County Commissioner District 3 R

Stefanie Burford-2997 (56.21 percent)

Larry Reynolds (i)-2335 (43.79 percent)

Board of Education District 3 R

Scottie Worthington-1016 (100 percent)

Board of Education District 3 D

Tim Turner (i)-105 (100 percent)

Board of Education District 6 R

Harold McDurmon-547 (100 percent)

Judge Court of Appeals

Stephen Dillard (i)-2774 (100 percent)

Judge Court of Appeals

John Ellington (i)-2777 <100 percent)

Judge Court of Appeals

M. Yvett Miller (i)-2763 (100 percent)

Judge Court of Appeals

Herbert Phillips (i)-2760 (100 percent)

Casino Funds R

Yes-3066 (53.87 percent)

No-2626 (46.14 percent)

Lobbyists Gifts R

Yes-4825 (85.7 percent)

No-805 (14.3 percent)

Military Weapons R

Yes-4098 (72.26 percent)

No-805 (14.3 percent)

Party Registration R

Yes-2277 (40.74 percent)

No-3312 (59.26 percent)

Unborn Rights R

Yes-3639 (68.02 percent)

No-1711 (31.98 percent)

Charter Schools D

Yes-429 (44.92 percent)

No-526 (55.08 percent)

Lobbyist Gifts D

Yes-653 (68.2 percent)

No-305 (31.8 percent)

Energy Credit D

Yes-759 (79.6 percent)

No-195 (20.43 percent)

Reduce Sales Tax D

Yes-850 (88.5 percent)

No-110 (11.5 percent)

TSPLOST

Yes-2234 (34.74 percent)

No-4388 (66.26 percent)

H.B. 616

Yes-5477 (84.13 percent)

No-1033 (15.87 percent)

H.B. 617

Yes-3544 (56.3 percent)

No-2751 (43.7 percent)

City of Aragon Alcohol sales

Yes-72 (48.65 percent)

No-76 (51.35 percent)