Benfield wins District 1 seat on county commission

An individual votes Monday morning at the Bollinger County Courthouse in Marble Hill. Citizens could cast an absentee ballot at the courthouse ahead of the Tuesday, Aug. 6, primary.

Daniel Winningham ~ Banner Press

A little more than 25% of registered voters participated in this Tuesday’s primary election in Bollinger County. The only local contested spot ended up being very close.

On Tuesday, Aug. 6, Travis Benfield won the three-way race among Republican candidates for the District 1 seat on the county commission. Benfield collected 267 votes (36.38%), narrowly defeating Kenneth Trentham (265 votes, 36.11%). Incumbent Timothy Shelby received 245 votes (31.53%).

These results will be certified Friday, Aug. 9, by the Bollinger County Clerk’s Office.

Official turnout countywide was 25.87% as there were 2,226 ballots cast out of 8,603 registered voters.

Benfield will be unopposed in the general election in November. Swearing-in for the office of associate commissioner, as well as other county offices, will occur Wednesday, Jan. 1.

Of the 2,226 ballots cast in Tuesday’s primary, 2,055, or about 92.32% were Republican Party ballots; 165 (7.41%) were Democratic Party ballots; four were non-partisan ballots; and two were Libertarian Party ballots.

There were 111 absentee ballots cast this year, according to the county clerk’s office.

Voter turnout by precinct

Drum Dongola: 183 votes among 523 registered voters (34.99%)

Hurricane: 139 votes among 502 registered voters (27.69%)

Scopus: 178 votes among 677 registered voters (26.29%)

Sedgewickville: 249 votes among 973 registered voters (25.59%)

Patton: 297 votes among 1,239 registered voters (23.97%)

Marble Hill: 770 votes among 3,316 registered voters (23.22%)

Zalma: 187 votes among 858 registered voters (21.79%)

Sitze: 112 votes among 515 registered voters (21.75%)

Absentee: 111 of 8,603 (1.29%).