Sheriff’s race highlights Tuesday runoff election

Voters in Marengo County will choose Tuesday between incumbent Sheriff Richard “Ben” Bates and challenger Phillip Myers to lead law enforcement in the county for the next four years.

The sheriff’s race headlines a runoff election that will also feature a Marengo County Board of Education seat.

The two remaining sheriff candidates ran an extremely tight race in the June primary, with Myers tallying 2,735 ballots as compared to 2,713 for Bates in the four-man field.

Following the primary, both men focused on the runoff and touted the reasons they feel Marengo County voters should choose them.

“I’ve always been honest with people,” Bates said. “A lot of times what I tell them is not what they want to hear, but it is the truth. When you come into my office, I don’t care whether you’re the president or a streetwalker, you’re going to be treated with respect.”

Myers said his service at various levels of law enforcement will help him serve the people of Marengo County. “I think that my service record prior helped me and it set the groundwork for people that thought I could do a good job,” he said. “I am overwhelmed and humbled by the votes that I got. There is still a lot of work to be done. We’re just going to have to sway some votes and get people to come out and vote. We need the turnout.”

Also on the ballot Tuesday will be the Marengo County Board of Education seat from District 4. Challenger Chester Moore led the primary with 629 votes (41.33 percent) while incumbent Arthur J. Hopson finished with 464 (30.49 percent) in a three-way contest.

Another race impacting a portion of the county is the Alabama State Rep., District 72 runoff between incumbent Ralph Howard and Demopolis’ Thomas Moore.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday.