MONTICELLO — The race for Justice Court Judge Post 2 here willdominate the ticket in the runoff election Tuesday, according tolocal officials.

Lawrence County will offer a split ticket Tuesday. Voters inPost 1 will vote only for the race between appointed incumbentOliver Diaz and 14th District Circuit Judge Keith Starrett forMississippi Supreme Court Judge. Post 2 will have the added racebetween Donald Glen “Donnie” Mullens and Curtis “Curt” Brister forthat post’s Justice Court Judge.

Starrett carried the county in Nov. 7’s general election.

In the local race, Mullen pulled in 962 votes to Brister’s 575.The elimination of seven candidates on Nov. 7, however, means thereare many more votes out there to be claimed.

“There is still a lot of interest in this race,” said Loraine G.Smith, District 3 election commissioner.

More than 62 percent of the county’s registered voters made itto the polls Nov. 7, but county officials don’t believe that manywill turn out again Tuesday.

“I don’t think the turnout will be as high as it was the firsttime because there are not as many races on the ballot and nopresidential race,” said Charlie B. Lawrence, a circuit courtclerk. “But I hope people will realize the importance of thiselection and come to vote anyway.”

The number of absentee votes received at the Circuit Clerk’soffice gives a good indication of voter decline. When the absenteeperiod ended before the general election, more than 450 people hadvoted. The absentee period for Tuesday’s runoff ended at noonSaturday, and as of noon Friday only 56 absentee votes had beencast, according to Barbara Peyton, a circuit court clerk.

In anticipation of a lower turnout, election commissioners havescaled back the number of poll workers to three at each precinctexcept in Beat 3, Smith said. Both Brister and Mullens call Beat 3home.

“That is where the biggest turnout will be in this election,”Smith said.

Justice Court Judge Post 2 includes all of Beats 1 and 3 and theNola and West Monticello precincts of Beat 2.