Early indications are that Tuesday’s general election may drawmany more voters to the polls than pundits believe, an electionofficial said Friday.

Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Terry Lynn Watkins said that as ofnoon Friday, her office had received 160 absentee ballots. Thedeadline of absentee votes was noon Saturday.

“We’ve had a good many people vote absentee, and we’ve had agood many to call, so I expect we’ll have quite a few tomorrow,”she said Friday.

The Circuit Clerk’s office opened Saturday from 8 a.m. to noonto give voters a final opportunity to cast their absentee ballotsbefore the deadline.

Many political observers had been worried turnout for thegeneral election might mirror that displayed during the Democraticprimary in June, when scarcely 2 percent of voters statewide castballots. The runoff election two weeks later drew in an even morepaltry 1 percent of registered voters.

“I think we do become complacent and it’s a right and privilegewe take for granted sometimes,” Watkins said about voting. “A lotof bad people have been elected by good people who stayed home onelection day.”

However, the absentee voting totals for Lincoln County leadWatkins to believe that something has inspired voters and thecounty may see a turnout closer to its normal 40 to 50 percent.

“I think because of the Court of Appeals race we’ll see anaverage turnout here,” she said.

The race for the Fourth District Court of Appeals Position 1will feature sitting judge 15th Chancery Court District Judge EdPatten, of Hazlehurst, against Chancery Court District 13 Place 1Judge Larry Buffington, of Collins, and three others for the post.Both Patten and Buffington are unopposed for re-election to theirpresent positions.

State Rep. Virginia Carlton, of Columbia, Richard Grindstaff, ofByram, and Scott Phillips, of Columbia, are also challenging forthe appellate post.

The Court of Appeals District 4 encompasses all or parts of 15counties, including Adams, Amite, Copiah, Covington, Franklin,Hinds, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pike,Simpson, Walthall and Wilkerson.

Should Patten or Buffington win the position on the Court ofAppeals, an appointment would be made and a special election wouldbe scheduled at a later date to replace them in their respectivechancery court district.

Appeals court judges serve eight-year terms. Chancery judgesserve four-year terms.

Other races appearing on the Lincoln County ballot include:

* Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Trent Lott is challenged bystate Rep. Erik R. Fleming, a Democrat, and Harold M. Taylor, aLibertarian, for the U.S. Senate.

* Incumbent Chip Pickering, a Republican, is challenged by JimGiles, an independent, and Lamonica L. Magee, a Reformist, for theThird Congressional District seat.

* Incumbent Mike Taylor is unopposed in the 14th Circuit CourtDistrict Place 1 judge race, but appointed Judge David H. Strong,Jr. will face Michael T. Shareef for the Place 2 position.

* Kay Coon is unopposed to return for a second term on theLincoln County School Board in District 1. However, incumbentDistrict 2 board member Johnny Hart is being challenged by StaceyW. Newell.

Lawrence County voters will also be voting on races for theCourt of Appeals, U.S. Senate and Third Congressional District, butmust also decide:

* Whether Deborah Kennedy or Joe Dale Walker will sit as judgeon the bench in the newly-created Chancery Court District 13 PlaceTwo position.

* Incumbent Judge R.I. Pritchard, III, is unopposed for thePlace One seat on the 15th Circuit Court District, but the race forPlace Two features four candidates – Manya Creel Bryan, ForrestDantin, James L. “Jim” Gray and Prentiss Harrell.

Some Lawrence County residents will also have school boardpositions to fill. Incumbent Tony R. Thames is challenged inDistrict 3 by Tina King while the District 4 battle will featureScott R. Bryan, Joel S. Lucero and Shirley M. Walker.

Franklin County voters will also help determine seats in theU.S. Senate, Third Congressional District and Court of Appeals, butalso have local elections to decide.

Forrest Al Johnson is unopposed in the race for District 6,Subdistrict 6-2, Circuit Court judge.

Other Franklin County races include:

* Debbra K. Halford or John H. “Bubber” White for the 4thChancery Court District.

* Elizabeth Lazarus, James C. “Jim” Nix or Hilda Peeler forDistrict 2 Election Commissioner.

* Clara M. Starks, Mark S. Thornton or Ed Zumbro, Jr. for a seaton the Franklin County School Board for District 3 while Kim Priestand Tyler Scott will vie for the District 4 post.

* Robert W. “Hammer” Fleming, a Democrat, will meet S.E. Magee,a Republican, to be named District 4 Election Commissioner.

Copiah County voters won’t be participating in the ThirdCongressional District election. Instead, they’ll be casting theirballots for Incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson orchallenger Yvonne R. Brown, a Republican, in the SecondCongressional District.

Other Copiah County races include:

* Incumbent Judge Lamar Pickard challenged by E. Vincent Davisin the 22nd Circuit Court District.

* Both school board positions in the Copiah County SchoolDistrict are unopposed. Rickey Nelson Smith will reclaim hisposition as board member for District 3 while Arthur Lee Evans, Jr.will reclaim his District Four seat.