Blytheville mayoral candidates Sanders and Abbott headed to runoff -- again

Blytheville Mayoral Candidates James Sanders and Tommy Abbott will be headed for a runoff again after results came in from Tuesday's general election.

Neither garnered the 50 percent plus one requirement for an outright win: Mayor Sanders had 1,513 votes, 43.82 percent; and Abbott had 1,647 votes, 47.7 percent.

Gwendolyn Orr finished a distant third, with 293 votes, 8.40 percent.

Mayor Sanders thanked his voters and contributors for their support, and said that his camp plans to "go back in and re-evaluate and prepare ourselves for this runoff."

Abbott congratulated Sanders and Orr on good races and thanked his supporters.

"Thanks to all of our supporters who worked tirelessly on this campaign," Abbott said. "We're going to press on over the next three weeks because it's that important that our message of real change through better management, transparency, accountability, and public safety is worth fighting for. Things can change, and we must do whatever is necessary to bring that change to pass."

Runoff election day will be held in three weeks, on Nov. 25, with one week of early voting.

Both incumbents in the Blytheville council races managed to hold on to their seats, though the margin was close for Stan Parks in Ward 1, who beat out Margaree Rogers Jones by only 36 votes, 458 to 494. John Musgraves beat challenger Jessie Mitchell in Ward 3, 566 to 351.

Incumbents also pulled out ahead in the mayoral races in Osceola, Manila, and Gosnell, with wide margin victories for Dickie Kennemore, Wayne Wagner, and Don Marshall.

Rich Ash, JP in the Quorum Court's District 8 and also an incumbent, beat his challenger Emma Jackson, 470 to 327.

Gosnell's Ward 1 position went to Eric Blount over Darrell Grissom, 105 to 102. Ward 2 went to John Pate over Danny Quearry, 177 to 103. Ward 3 went to Teresa Walker over Terry Byrd, 138 to 64.

Sheriff Dale Cook won his bid over a write-in candidate, with 8,690 votes to 268.

For a complete list of election results, click here.