By SCOTT MOYERS

Southeast Missourian

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Two incumbents won easily, but a third candidate had to sweat out an evening of ups and downs before winning in a Republican sweep in Bollinger County races for circuit clerk, recorder of deeds and treasurer.

Circuit Clerk Sharon Lutes and Treasurer Naomi Null each won their re-election bids by wide margins against Democratic challengers Al Zimmer and Chester Hayes. Lutes won 3,289 to 1,650, and Null won 3,415 to 1,465.

But who won the recorder of deeds race was in question until all 14 precincts had been reported and all absentee ballots counted. In the end, deputy recorder Dana Fulbright, a Republican, edged out Democrat Patti Barrett, who has worked in Bollinger County government for more than 20 years, by 215 votes. Fulbright garnered 2,566 votes to Barrett's 2,351 votes.

Fulbright said the razor-thin victory was a testament that there were "two good candidates."

"I suspected it all along," she said. "I knew it was going to be close."

Now, she said, it's time to turn her attention back to work.

"I appreciate everybody's support," she said. "But this is the public's office. I'm going to treat everybody the same."

Still, she said she was excited and relieved it was over.

"I'm ready to get back to some normalcy," she said.

Lutes won her fourth term as Bollinger County's circuit clerk, so after this term she will have had the job for 16 years, which follow eight years as deputy circuit clerk.

She left her options open for what she'd do after this term.

"I'm eligible to retire after this term, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see," Lutes said.

Lutes took the opportunity to applaud her opponent, Al Zimmer, whom she said ran a good race.

"Regardless of who voted for me, I want to thank the voters," she said. "I'm proud that they selected me."

Null and Zimmer could not be reached for comment, and Barrett declined to comment.

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137