Election Blogging By Daryl K. Tabor of The Crittenden Press
8:44: Turnout in Crittenden County was 64 percent according to County Clerk Carolyn Byford. Last week, she had predicted turnout would be in the mid-60s.
8:40: With 85.3 percent of Kentucky's precincts reporting at this time, McConnell leads Democratic challenger Lunsford 52-48. In the First Congressional District race, 83.4 percent of precincts have reported and Whitfield is running away 2-1 from first-time candidate Heather Ryan. Republicans lead in three of the five other congressional races. McCain will easily claim Kentucky with its eight electoral votes.
8:03: Oops. Had to adjust totals after following the wrong line off my recapitulation sheet. It didn't change any of the outcomes, but total votes in some races are significantly different. Republicans still show a clean sweep in the county despite my mistake. The final totals are now reflected on the entry reflecting totals. McCain got 2,604, Whitfield 2,517 and McConnell 2,268. Clerk Carolyn Byford is ready to go home after her longest day of the year, so it's time to go. From about 5 a.m., to 8 p.m., makes a long day for election workers.
7:49: That's a wrap for Election 2008 in Crittenden County. All the numbers have been totaled, unofficially. McCain gained more votes than anyone in the county with 2,379, just slightly more than Whitfield's 2,308 and McConnell's 2,080 in their respective races. At least five separate election workers are tallying numbers to ensure they match and no mistakes have been made. Only election workers remain in the courthouse as they wrap up the election.
7:37: All 12 precincts have been filled in on my recapitulations sheet. Most of the crowd that has gathered in the hallway has dispursed, having totaled their sheets for results. The phone continues to ring inside Byford's office as The Paducah Sun and other newspapers call every 10 minutes for results.
7:29: Pam Collins bested Red Howton by a 2-to1 margin to join Chris Cook and Bill Asbridge, both of whom were re-elected tonight without opposition, and Eric LaRue and Phyllis Orr. Totals from two precincts remain uncounted.
7:18: All five incumbent city council members - Dwight Sherer, Darrin Tabor, Janet Crider Pierce, Jim Brown and Donnie Arflack - will return for two more years with former councilman and mayor candidate Mike Byford joining the group. Bill Frazer and Scott Tabor came up short on their bids to join the city government. Brown was the leading vote getter with 818. Frazer received the least with 503.
7:02: With only five of the 12 precincts total on my recapitulation sheet, it looks as if McCain, McConnell and Whitfield will run away with the county's favor, though the McConnell race is the closest. It will be a clean sweep for the GOP. At present, it looks like Howton will be ousted by Collins. Scott Tabor and Bill Frazer appear to the two lowest vote totals for city council.
6:55: All 12 precints are now in, but it will be some time before the final totals are available. Not sure what's going on outside, but the hallway just erupted in laughter as Byford read off the latest results.
6:47: All but two of the 12 precincts have reported in. Totals from each precinct are being tallied and read to the crowd gathered awaiting results.
6:22: Fords Ferry 5 followed right behind with the next precint totals. Frankie and Dennis Vailes, along with Roberta Shewmaker have completed their long day. "It went pretty smooth," Shewmaker said. "It wasn't that bad." Shewmaker is sticking around to hear results.
6:20: Precinct 1 at the courthouse is the first to report its totals for the day. Pat and Jim Carter brought up the totals from the basement and are headed home for the evening. "Oh my," Pat said when ask if it had been a long day. Her husband could only shake his head in agreement.
6:13: No problems reported by County Clerk Carolyn Byford as she awaits the first precinct to report in. Smooth thus far, she reports, as the chatter from the hallway grows louder.
6:01: Absentee totals are in. John McCain has almost double the votes Barack Obama has received - 163 to 86. In local races, Bill Frazer and Scott Tabor are the odd men out of the council race and Pam Collins has 16 votes to Howton's 7 in the school board race. Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. Ed Whitfield also hold commanding leads.
6:00: School board candidate Red Howton and councilman Jim Brown have joined a filling hallway awaiting returns.
5:50: Ten minutes until polls close and the absentee ballots are announced. Three of the eight candidates for city council - Mike Byford, Donnie Arflack and Bill Frazer - have taken a seat in the courthouse hallway awaiting totals. Each has grabbed a pencil and a recapitulation sheet to tally the votes from the city's five precincts.
7:49: That's a wrap for Election 2008 in Crittenden County. All the numbers have been totaled, unofficially. McCain gained more votes than anyone in the county with 2,379, just slightly more than Whitfield's 2,308 and McConnell's 2,080 in their respective races. At least five separate election workers are tallying numbers to ensure they match and no mistakes have been made. Only election workers remain in the courthouse as they wrap up the election.
7:37: All 12 precincts have been filled in on my recapitulations sheet. Most of the crowd that has gathered in the hallway has dispursed, having totaled their sheets for results. The phone continues to ring inside Byford's office as The Paducah Sun and other newspapers call every 10 minutes for results.
7:29: Pam Collins bested Red Howton by a 2-to1 margin to join Chris Cook and Bill Asbridge, both of whom were re-elected tonight without opposition, and Eric LaRue and Phyllis Orr. Totals from two precincts remain uncounted.
7:18: All five incumbent city council members - Dwight Sherer, Darrin Tabor, Janet Crider Pierce, Jim Brown and Donnie Arflack - will return for two more years with former councilman and mayor candidate Mike Byford joining the group. Bill Frazer and Scott Tabor came up short on their bids to join the city government. Brown was the leading vote getter with 818. Frazer received the least with 503.
7:02: With only five of the 12 precincts total on my recapitulation sheet, it looks as if McCain, McConnell and Whitfield will run away with the county's favor, though the McConnell race is the closest. It will be a clean sweep for the GOP. At present, it looks like Howton will be ousted by Collins. Scott Tabor and Bill Frazer appear to the two lowest vote totals for city council.
6:55: All 12 precints are now in, but it will be some time before the final totals are available. Not sure what's going on outside, but the hallway just erupted in laughter as Byford read off the latest results.
6:47: All but two of the 12 precincts have reported in. Totals from each precinct are being tallied and read to the crowd gathered awaiting results.
6:22: Fords Ferry 5 followed right behind with the next precint totals. Frankie and Dennis Vailes, along with Roberta Shewmaker have completed their long day. "It went pretty smooth," Shewmaker said. "It wasn't that bad." Shewmaker is sticking around to hear results.
6:20: Precinct 1 at the courthouse is the first to report its totals for the day. Pat and Jim Carter brought up the totals from the basement and are headed home for the evening. "Oh my," Pat said when ask if it had been a long day. Her husband could only shake his head in agreement.
6:13: No problems reported by County Clerk Carolyn Byford as she awaits the first precinct to report in. Smooth thus far, she reports, as the chatter from the hallway grows louder.
6:01: Absentee totals are in. John McCain has almost double the votes Barack Obama has received - 163 to 86. In local races, Bill Frazer and Scott Tabor are the odd men out of the council race and Pam Collins has 16 votes to Howton's 7 in the school board race. Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. Ed Whitfield also hold commanding leads.
6:00: School board candidate Red Howton and councilman Jim Brown have joined a filling hallway awaiting returns.
5:50: Ten minutes until polls close and the absentee ballots are announced. Three of the eight candidates for city council - Mike Byford, Donnie Arflack and Bill Frazer - have taken a seat in the courthouse hallway awaiting totals. Each has grabbed a pencil and a recapitulation sheet to tally the votes from the city's five precincts.
