BOLIVAR BLACKS PICK UP TWO
By OWEN TAYLOR
DDT Staff Writer
CLEVELAND—Bolivar   County   black
candidates picked up two more district 3
offices in Tuesday's general election, but
failed in an attempt to win a House seat or to
carry the county in two Bolivar-Sunflower
senatorial races. '
/--Kermit Stanton, the county's first post-
( Reconstruction black supervisor, defeated a
\ white independent  to keep his District 3
l^supervisor seat.
Black independents seeking state offices,
as well as seven other black independents
seeking county offices, made poor showings
in the Tuesday races,
"•ifrhere was a two-hour delay before the
Bolivar County Circuit Clerk's office
received results from the Mound Bayou
precinct. According \ to a report which
reached the clerk's office, Mound Bayou
'< election officials had apparently throught
the total number of votes cast in each race
was supposed to equal the number of people
who voted in the election.
At the request of the election officials at
the clerk's office, a highway patrol unit went
to Mound Bayou, obtained the results, and
returned with them to Cleveland.
Two black men, seeking supervisor posts
in Districts 1 and 5, failed to make the board.
i—'Black independent Johnny Todd of Gun-
Inison missed defeating Democrat J. E. Bobo
of Gunnison, failing 1,510 to 1,214. Bobo is
supervisor from the old District 2 before
re-districting.
Democratic incumbent Elmer L. Prewitt
of Cleveland romped black independent
Andrew Burton of Shaw(l,732' to"682) to keep
his District 5 supervisorpost.^-"      .
Gunnison marshal John Coleman edged
one black independent and toppled another
to take the District lconstableship.Coleman,
white Democrat and constable in the old
District 2, edged Rosedale Delta Health
Center employef^wis_mjng| 1,215 to 1,094.
A (bird eandidarejjjack Kosejale policeman
Willie Strotter.fjolled 377 vojesj
Black independents made no headway in
gaining District 5 offices. Blacks lost in bids
for constable and justice of the peace.
The Rev. E. J. Paxton fell to incymbent
justice of the peace E. S. Handleyji,478ito
(G5jyfor the post 1 seat. Both are'Shaw
residents.   Incumbent   constable   Wayman
Pool of Shaw won in his effort for re-electjon,
defeating^black Shaw independent {Manciehj
Jackson;fl,608'tol755r> *
Democrat Bill Waller, the Jackson attorney who knocked off Lt. Governor Charles
Sullivan in the second primary, carried the
county over minimum resistance by black
Fayette Mayor Charles Evers and white
independent Tom P. Brady, a state supreme
court justice.
"waller, who did not carry Bolivar County
in the August 24 primary, outpaced Evers
7,579 to 6,164, with Brady bringing in an
almost invisible 203 vote third place.
^Hher  Democrats  dominated   Bolivar
jfounty vote gathering, with Heber Ladner
•carrying the county 6,614 to 4,059 in his race
against     black     independent     Freddie
Washington, Jr.
Incumbent  Superintendent of Education
'sank black independent C.
Garvin. Johnstoi
XTJuckworth,~6",701 to 4,301, while state Land
Commissionert^iaJ^t^arterJkept his office,
defeating white independent Jimmy George,
6,435 to 573.
Sam   Waggoner,   incumbent   highway
commissioner, leveled county hopes of white
independent Charles Marion Cox by a 6,799 to
524 margin. Incumbent public sej_jce
commissioner "[^Lapraan A. Johnson—ix/.
defeated white independent Mrs. Marguerite
Sanford in her challenge to his office in a vote
Bolivar   Sheriff   L.   B.   Williams,   who
received a majority vote over two white
opponents   in   the   first   August   primary,
^.topped white independent Wjliejiilhurn of
^Cleveland, 8,264 to 1,356, to keep his post as
the county's chief law enforcement officer.
Former tax assessor G. D. Criss leveled
the only Republican opposition faced in
Tuesday's county races. Criss, running for
the newly created office of tax a_ssessor and,
collector, ^radicated" fhTs^election's GOPy
hopes in a 7,747 to 1,864 tally oveFRepublican
T. C. Woods, Jr. of Cleveland.
'/Democrat Douglas Beeveruhad an ample-
margin of winning v0tBS~mnis 1,246 to 587
defeat over white independent Mike Gordon
for the District 4 constableship. Both are
Cleveland residents.