MARBLE HILL - Republican Donald L. Barks and Democrat Junior Cook led in their respective primaries late Tuesday night for Bollinger County associate commissioner.

As of midnight, Bollinger County had only 12 of 13 precincts reporting.

In the Democratic primary for county sheriff, Jerry D. Benfield had a substantial lead over his opponents. Bollinger County Sheriff Dan Mesey ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

A spokeswoman with the Bollinger County clerk's office said Cook, the incumbent, had 290 votes in his bid to retain his 2nd District seat. Challenger Joyce M. Long had 222 votes, she said.

The vote for Benfield was 621, according to the spokeswoman. Opponents Lindell J. Myers and Jimmie Gale Bollinger had 186 and 226 votes respectively.

Barks picked up 169 votes in the Republican primary, compared to 136 for Sharon K. Smith, 60 for Ivan L. Myers and 54 for Melvin Sitze, the spokeswoman said.

Voter turnout in the county was described as moderately heavy for a primary.