A runoff election Tuesday between Albert Turnage of Silver Creekand Kathleen S. Sharp of New Hebron will determine who will fillthe Post 1 justice court judge position in Lawrence County.

Post 1 includes 16 of Lawrence County’s 26 precincts, includingall of Districts Four and Five, Oma, Sontag and Wanilla. Polls willbe open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Turnage and Sharp emerged from a four-candidate field in thegeneral election Nov. 8 to advance to the runoff.

Turnage collected 583 votes, or 38.5 percent, while Sharpgathered in 483 votes, or 31.9 percent, in the generalelection.

Circuit Clerk Cindy Stokes said she was disappointed in thevoter turnout in the general election and hoped the runoff mightspark more interest. Only 1,508 voters went to the polls in thegeneral election.

Early voting by absentee voting doesn’t look encouraginghowever, she said.

“It was obviously a very low voter turnout,” she said,” and itdoesn’t appear this one will be better.”

Voters are electing a replacement for former Post 1 JusticeCourt Judge Robert C. “Bobby” Fortenberry, Jr., who pleaded guiltyto possession of crystal methamphetamine with intent to transferand stepped down from his office in an agreement with prosecutorsand the court in September 2004.

The winner of the election will fulfill Fortenberry’s term,which expires Jan. 1, 2008.