Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 5

Thurvtiy, November S. 1187 The Ciirion-lrdgrr 5A ELECTION '87i The governor's race, county by county Ford would remove Merideth from panel ting a peek at Ford's commitment list. "There are people on here I've talked to in the last 12 hours that said they're not committed or are leaning to our side," said Perry-Rep. Cecil Simmons of Maben, a candidate for speaker pro tern and Ford's campaign manager, said the new House leaders shouldn't be vindictive toward Merideth or other Newman supporters. "Sonny won't be treated the way I was treated four years ago" said Simmons, who was ousted by Newman from the Appropriations Committee after Simmons participated in an unsuccessful 1984 House revolt.

The following is a list of House members publicly committed to supporting Ford's speaker candidacy: Reps. Ed Blackmon, Canton; Buck Bounds, Philadelphia; Clifford Bntt, Wesson; Terry Brown, Columbus. Ed Buelow. Vicksburg; Glen Burdine. Mathiston, Credell Calhoun.

Jackson; Charlie Capps, Cleveland, Eric Clark. Tay-lorsville; Alyce Clarke. Jackson; Dot Cole. Richton. Raymond Comans.

Decatur; P. Compretta, Bay St Louis, Tyrone Ellis, Starkville; Alvin Endt, Ocean Springs; George Flaggs Vicksburg; Ford; Rick Fortenberry, Meridian; Hillman Frazier, Jackson; Isiah Fredericks. Gultporl; Joedy George, Greenwood, David Green, Glos-ter; Don Grist, Vardaman; Danny Guice. Biloxi; Bruce Hanson, Columbus; Ayers Haxton. Natchez; Curl Hebert Pascagoula; Ashley Hines.

Greenville; Steve Holland, Plantersville; Curtis Holston, Poplarville; Tommy Home, Meridian; Bill Jones. Hattiesburg; Leslie King, Greenville; Billy Lancaster. Winona: Ezell Lee. Picayune; Dick Livingston, Pulaski; Butch McMillan. Kosciusko; Harvey Moss, Corinth; Clem Nettles.

Jayess, CarJ Parker. Sumrall: Diane Peranich, Pass Christian; John Reeves. Jackson; Tommy Reynolds, Charleston; Walter Robinson, Bolton; Ed Ryan, Biloxi; Frances Savage, Brandon; Barney Schoby, Natchez; Eloise Scott. Tupelo. Bob Short, Gulf-port; Cecil Simmons, Maben; Miriam Simmons, Columbia; Gary Staples.

Laurel; Johnny Stringer. Montrose; Joe Taylor, Waynesboro; Dewayne Thomas, Jackson; Jimmy Tyrone, Monticello; Don Underwood, Brookhaven; Mack Loyd Wadkins, luka; Alfred Walker, Columbus; Brent Walker, Magee; Tommy Walman, McComb; Joe Warren, Mount Olive; Percy Watson. Hattiesburg; Bill Wheeler, Belmont; and Charles Young. Meridian. By DAN DAVIS Clarion-Ledger Staff Wriler State Rep.

Tim Ford, jockeying for the House speaker's post in the new Legislature, said Wednesday he would remove Rep. Sonny Merideth as chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. "I think it's important to change our image to that of a Legislature that works together," said Ford, who claims he has enough support to be elected speaker after the Legislature convenes Jan. 5. "Incumbent with that image change is a change in the personalities that presently hold leadership positions." Ford, a two-term Tupelo legislator, revealed a list of 65 House members supporting his bid for speaker and said the number is likely to grow to 75 or more by Sunday.

The speaker, the House's presiding officer, will be selected by the 122 House members. At least 62 votes are needed for victory- The speaker's post becomes vacant with the retirement of Rep. Buddie Newman of Valley Park. Newman decided earlier this year to retire after a group of House rebels succeeded in their drive to weaken the speaker's authority. Merideth, a 29-year legislative veteran, was one of Newman's chief lieutenants and a lightning rod of controversy.

Reached at his Greenville law office, Merideth said if Ford is selected speaker it would be his prerogative to name his own committee chairmen. While Ford was claiming victory, his chief opponent Rep. Ed Perry of Oxford refused to concede the election after get I Atom tayttt CtKioun chlckauw Monro Lm fchocttw Lowndes I kt Ktmpar Jmow Ctarkt I I kyl Mabus Reed Undecided wi fc 'yy Jackson Harrison I A I I (Hancock COUNTY Mbui(D) (R) Adams 6333 448g Alcorn 4809 3029 2,623 2,130 Attala 3070 3,091 Benton 101g 577 Bolivar 6632 4057 Calhoun1 2272 2,186 Carroll 1i857 814 Chickasaw 2,747 2,237 Choctaw 2,014 1,349 Claiborne 3,333 314 Clark 3,352 3,253 3,006 2,535 Coahoma 5,375 3,458 Copiah 4,255 3,078 Covington 2,513 2,830 OeSoto 4.713 3,207 Forrest 8,021 8,786 Franklin 1,699 1,593 George 2,330 2,031 Greene 1,395 1i846 Grenada 4,273 3,036 Hancock 4,675 3,322 Harrison 20,662 14,998 Hinds 35,756 32,783 Holmes 5,043 2,348 Humphreys 3,187 1,629 Issaquena 558 315 Itawamba 3,449 3,029 Jackson 16,979 13,777 Jasper 3,674 2,769 Jefferson 2,566 639 Jeff Davis 2,796 2,046 Jones 9,027 11,058 Kemper 1,932 1,696 Lafayette 3,179 3,771 Lamar 3,211 5,539 Lauderdale 9,693 9,268 Lawrence 2,523 1,987 Leake 2,970 2,777 Lee 6,937 10,235 Leflore 5,667 5,221 Lincoln 6,154 5,440 Lowndes 6,405 7,204 Madison' 8,075 6,659 Marion 4,998 4,130 Marshall 5,657 2,577 Monroe 3,875 3,820 Montgomery 2,172 1,661 Neshoba 3,501 4,061 Newton 2,864 3,940 Noxubee 2,749 2,143 Oktibbeha 4,414 4,429 Panola 5,264 3,143 Pearl River 4,818 4,889 Perry 1,533 2,200 Pike 6,371 4,449 Pontotoc 2,733 3,830 Prentiss' 3,225 2,193 Quitman 2,391 1,437 Rankin 9,590 13,205 Scott 3,550 3,993 Sharkey 1,933 997 Simpson 3,855 4,435 Smith 2,473 3,443 Stone 2,382 1,934 Sunflower 4,685 3,393 Tallahatchie 3,151 2,190 Tate 2,372 1,638 Tippah 2,932 2,353 Tishomingo 4,195 2,178 Tunica 1,418 789 Union 3,122 3,245 Walthall 2,255 1,872 Warren 8,033 6,792 Washington 8,823 5,510 Wayne 3,081 3,570 Webster 1,362 2,116 Wilkinson 1,137 828 Winston 3,951 3,428 Yalobusha 2,266 1,841 Yazoo 5,456 3,892 Totals 381,346 332,985 Incomplete results Several races too close to call; some candidates study re-counts work which we'll give them tomorrow or the Statewide office races By DEBORAH SKIPPER Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer A handful of races hovered in the balance across the state Wednesday, as candidates walked tightropes between victory and defeat. Close calls prompted one candidate to contest the outcome in his race and two others to consider re-counts pending official vote totals. J.

Ledbetter of Ridgeland, Republican candidate in the Madison County District 3 Board of Supervisors race, is contesting the absentee ballots in the Gluckstadt, Ridgeland and Lake Lorman-Lake Cavalier precincts. Ledbetter was leading by 13 votes over Democrat David Richardson before the disputed Gluckstadt vote count, which gave his opponent a 96-vote edge. By Wednesday afternoon, Richardson was leading 1,651 votes to 1,555 for Ledbetter. Madison County Republican Party Chairman Sandy Stater said the county election commission had rejected Ledbetter's challenge of the vote count and absentee ballots in the Gluckstadt precinct. "We talked with the election commission this (Wednesday) morning, and we were obviously not satisfied with what they decided," Ledbetter said.

"We verbally challenged them today. We're working out the paper next day." State law requires absentee ballots to be placed in the ballot box and then counted, Stater said. The absentee ballots in Gluckstadt were piled on a table instead, he said. "There were no Republican poll managers in the Gluckstadt precinct," Stater said. "The election commission did not designate one of the poll managers to pick up the election box and return it to the courthouse as required by law." Dr.

Marc Chetta of Poplarville, the Republican candidate for Senate District 47, is waiting for affidavit and absentee ballots to be tallied before deciding whether to ask for a re-count of the eight-vote lead held by Democrat Wootsie Tate of Picayune. With all precincts reporting, Chetta trailed Tate by 6,348 votes to 6,356. Absentee and affidavit ballots managed to widen the lead in the close contest between Kane Ditto and incumbent Ron Al-dridge in the House District 66 race in Jackson. Ditto, ahead by 47 votes before the 130 affidavit ballots were counted, widened his lead to 73 votes afterward, said Hinds County Circuit Clerk Barbara Dunn. The election commission will pull the voting machine sheets today and verify the figures, she said.

The vote total, not counting affidavits, was 3,428 votes for Ditto to 3,381 for Aldridge. Governor 2,074 of 2,083 precincts reporting Ray Mabus (D) 381,346 53 Jack Reed (R) 332,985 47 Lieutenant governor 2,045 of 2,083 precincts reporting Brad Dye (D) 490,098 74 TomHamby(R) 117,218 18 Henry Kirksey (i) 57,165 9 Attorney general 2,067 of 2,083 precincts reporting Mike Moore (D) 487,243 72 Jim Herring (R) 192,996 28 State treasurer 2,045 of 2,083 precincts reporting Marshall Bennett (D) 515,923 80 Wil Colom (R) 130,956 20 State auditor 2,026 of 2,083 precincts reporting Pete Johnson (D) 516,912 80 Danny Ware (R) 128,093 20 Secretary of state 2,045 of 2,083 precincts reporting Dick Molpus (D) 540,632 82 Billy Taylor (R) 118,388 18 Agriculture commissioner 2,045 of 2,083 precincts reporting Jim Buck Ross (D) 464,614 72 Clyde Magee (R) 176,544 28 Public service commissioner central district 578 of 601 precincts reporting Nielsen Cochran (R) 114,044 55 Frank Barber (D) 94,182 45 The Mississippi House of Representatives The Mississippi Senate Dist. 26 Hinds Cy Rosenblatt, Jackson Dist. 27 Hinds Doug Anderson, Jackson Dist. 28 Hinds Alice Harden, Jackson Dist.

29 Hinds Wayne Burkes, Clinton Dist. 30 Rankin Barbara Blanton, Brandon Dist. 31 Lauderdale, Newton, Scott Alan Heflin, Forest Dist. 32 Kemper, Lauderdale, Noxubee 'Eddie Briggs, DeKalb Dist. 33 Lauderdale 'Glen Deweese, Meridian Dist.

34 Clarke, Jasper, Smith Billy Thames, Mize Dist. 35 Copiah, Rankin, Simpson Rob Smith, Richland Dist. 36 Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds, Jefferson Lynn Posey, Union Church Dist. 37 Adams, Wilkinson Bob M. Dearing, Natchez Dist.

38 Amite, Franklin, Pike Pat Welch, McComb Dist. 39 Lawrence, Lincoln, Pike W.L. Rayborn, D. Brookhaven Dist. 40 Lamar, Marion, Pike, Walthall Joseph Stogner, Sandy Hook Dist.

41 Covington, Jeff Davis, Jones Ronnie Shows, Bassfield Dist. 42 Jasper, Jones, Wayne Vincent Scoper Jr, Laurel Dist. 43 George, Greene, Jackson, Wayne Cecil Mills, Clara Dist. 44 Forrest, Lamar, Perry Jim Bean, Hattiesburg Dist. 45 Forrest, Lamar Rick Lambert, Hattiesburg Dist.

46 Hancock, Harrison, Jackson Gene Taylor, Bay St. Louis Dist. 47 Hancock, Harrison, Stone, Pearl River Outcome pending Margaret "Wootsie" Tate, Picauyne Marc Chetta, Poplarville Dist. 48 Harrison Clyde Woodfield. Gulfport Dist.

49 Harrison BobUsey, Gulfport Dist. 50 Harrison Tommy Gollott, Biloxi Dist. 51 Jackson 'Steve Hale, Pascagoula Dist. 52 Jackson Claude V. Bilbo Pascagoula Dist.

92 Lincoln 'Robert D. Underwood, Brookhaven Dist. 93 Amite, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln 'Bobby Moak, Bogue Chitto Dist. 94 Adams, Franklin Barney Schoby, Natchez Dist. 95 Adams R.

Ayers Haxton, Natchez Dist. 96 Amite, Pike, Wilkinson David L. Green, Gloster Dist. 97 Pike "Thomas H. Walman, McComb Dist.

98 Pike, Walthall Clem M. Nettles, Jayess Dist. 99 Lamar, Marion, Walthall "Robert E. Vince, Sandy Hook Dist. 100 Marion Miriam Simmons, Columbia Dist.

101 Forrest, Lamar Carl Parker, Sumrall Dist. 102 Forrest J.B. Van Slyke Hattiesburg Dist. 103 Forrest Percy W. Watson, Hattiesburg Dist.

104 Forrest 'William Harold "Bill" Jones, Petal Dist. 105 George, Greene, Perry Dorthy G. Cole, Richton Dist. 106 Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, Stone 'Curtis Holston, Poplarville Dist. 107 George, Stone 'Percy L.

Maples, Lucedale Dist. 108 Pearl River Ezell Lee, Picayune Dist. 109 Jackson "Frank Ely, Hurley Dist. 110 Jackson "William Mitchell Ellerby. Moss Point Dist.

111 Jackson Curt Hebert Pascagoula Dist. 112 Jackson "Raymond Vecchio, Gautier Dist. 113 Jackson 'Alvin Endt, Ocean Springs Dist. 114 Harrison, Jackson "Daniel D. Guice Ocean Springs Dist.

115 Harrison Ed Ryan, D. Biloxi Dist. 116 Harrison Oliver Diaz, D'lberville Dist. 1 17 Harrison "Glenn E. Endris, Biloxi Dist.

118 Harrison 'Bob Short, Gulfport Dist. 119 Harrison "Isiah Fredericks, Gulfport Dist. 120 Harrison James C. Simpson, Long Beach Dist. 121 Harrison Diane C.

Peranich, Pass Christian Dist. 122 Hancock J. P. Compretta, Bay St. Louis.

Dist. 30 Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie Charles E. Waldrup, Drew Dist. 31 Sunflower W.G. Poindexter, Inverness Dist.

32 Grenada, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha 'Thomas U. Reynolds, Charleston Dist. 33 Leflore 'James D. Green, Itta Bena Dist. 34 Leflore Joedy George, Greenwood Dist.

35 Choctaw, Oktibbeha, Webster Glen D. Burdine, Mathiston Dist. 36 Clay H. Scott Ross, West Point Dist. 37 Oktibbeha 'Cecil L.

Simmons, Maben Dist. 38 Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha Tyrone Ellis, Starkville Dist. 39 Lowndes "Bruce J. Hanson, Columbus Dist. 40 Lowndes Terry W.

Brown, Columbus Dist. 41 Lowndes, Oktibbeha Alfred L. Walker Columbus Dist. 42 Kemper, Lauderdale, Neshoba Jerry Wilkerson, Daleville Dist. 43 Noxubee, Winston 'Bobby Moody, Louisville Dist.

44 Neshoba Shelton E. "Buck" Bounds, Philadelphia Dist. 45 Leake, Neshoba "Bennett Malone, Carthage Dist. 46 Attala, Montgomery "Hubert S. "Butch" McMillan, Kosciusko Dist.

47 Holmes, Yazoo "Robert G. Clark Lexington Dist. 48 Carroll, Holmes, Humphreys Mary Ann Stevens, West Dist. 49 Washington 'Leslie D. King, Greenville Dist.

50 Washington 'Ashley Hines. Greenville Dist. 51 Humphreys, Washington 'David M. Halbrook, Belzoni Dist. 52 Washington "H.L.

"Sonny" Merideth Greenville Dist. 53 Issaquena, Sharkey, Warren Charles Weissinger Rolling Fork Dist. 54 Warren "Ed Buelow Vicksburg Dist. 55 Warren George Flaggs Vicksburg Dist. 56 Yazoo Joel Netherland, Yazoo City Dist.

57 Madison 'Edward Blackmon Canton Dist. 58 Madison Don Alt ord, Madison Dist. 59 Rankin Frances Savage, Brandon With party affiliation and hometown. Asterisk indicates incumbents. Dist.

1 Alcorn, Tishomingo Mack L. Wadkins, luka Dist. 2 Alcorn 'Harvey Moss, Corinth Dist. 3 Alcorn, Prentiss William J. "Billy" McCoy, Rienzi Dist.

4 Benton, Tippah Joe M. McElwain, Ripley Dist. 5 Marshall Tommy Woods, Byhalia Dist. 6 DeSoto 'Morris Lee Scott, Hernando Dist. 7 DeSoto John Grisham Southaven Dist.

8 DeSoto, Tate 'Charles V. Williams, Senatobia Dist. 9 DeSoto, Quitman, Tunica 'Clayton P. Henderson, Tunica Dist. 10 Lafayette, Marshall, Panola "Harris L.

Bryan, Batesville Dist. 11 Panola, Quitman Wes Mclngvale, Batesville Dist. 12 Lafayette 'Ed Perry, Oxford Dist. 13 Benton, DeSoto, Marshall Primary, pending: Andy Morris, Ashland; John Thompson, Hickory Flat Dist. 14 Union John D.

Pennebaker, New Albany Dist. 15 Pontotoc D. Ted Foster, Pontotoc Dist. 16 Lee D. Stephen Holland, Plantersville Dist.

17 Lee Eloise Scott, Tupelo Dist. 18 Lee, Prentiss Tim Ford, Tupelo Dist. 19 Itawamba, Tishomingo William R. Wheeler Belmont Dist. 20 Itawamba, Monroe Dorlos "Bo" Robinson, Hamilton Dist.

21 Itawamba, Monroe Mike Mills, Aberdeen Dist. 22 Chickasaw, Monroe William L. "Billy" Bowles, Houston Dist. 23 Calhoun, Lafayette, Union, Yalobusha Don Grist, Vardaman Dist. 24 Grenada, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha 'Mike Nipper, Grenada Dist.

25 Carroll, Grenada, Montgomery 'Billy D. Lancaster, Winona Dist. 26 Bolivar, Coahoma Aaron E. Henry, Clarksdale Dist. 27 Coahoma Delma Furniss, Rena Lara Dist.

28 Bolivar Charles W. Capps Cleveland Dist. 29 Bolivar 'Edward G. Jackson, Cleveland Dist. 60 Rankin Cecil McCrory, Brandon Dist.

61 Rankin Ray Rogers, Pearl Dist. 62 Copiah, Rankin, Simpson "Mark S. Scarborough, Florence Dist. 63 Hinds Walter L. Robinson.

Bolton Dist. 64 Hinds Bill Denny, Jackson Dist. 65 Hinds Ken Stribling. Jackson Dist. 66 Hinds Kane Ditto, Jackson Dist.

67 Hinds Hillman T. Frazier, Jackson Dist. 68 Hinds "Credell Calhoun, D. Jackson Dist. 69 Hinds Alyce G.

Clarke, Jackson Dist. 70 Hinds Horace L. Buckley, Jackson Dist. 71 Hinds Dewayne Thomas, Jackson Dist. 72 Hinds John Reeves, Jackson Dist.

73 Hinds Jim Ellington, Jackson Dist. 74 Hinds William L. Singletary, Clinton Dist. 75 Scott 'Richard L. Livingston, Pulaski Dist.

76 Copiah, Hinds, Simpson Clifford Britt, Wesson Dist. 77 Simpson Brent Walker, Magee Dist. 78 Neshoba, Newton Raymond Comans, Decatur Dist. 79 Covington, Scott, Smith 'Eric Clark, Taylorsville Dist. 80 Clarke, Jasper "Johnny W.

Stringer, Montrose Dist. 81 Lauderdale "Rick Fortenberry, Meridian Dist. 82 Lauderdale "Charles L. Young, D. Meridian Dist.

83 Lauderdale Tommy Home, Meridian Dist. 84 Clarke, Lauderdale Roy A. Dabbs. D. Meridian Dist.

85 Claiborne, Jefferson "C.B. Shepphard, Lorman Dist. 86 Greene, Wayne Joe Taylor, Waynesboro Dist. 87 Jones 'Gus Townsend, Laurel Dist. 88 Jones Gary Staples, Laurel Dist.

89 Jones 'D R. "Dick" Anderson, Ellisville Dist. 90 Covington, Jeff Davis J.L. Warren, Mount Olive Dist. 91 Jeff Davis, Lawrence Jimmy W.

Tyrone, Monticello With party affiliation and hometown. Asterisk indicates incumbents. Dist. 1 DeSoto George Guerieri, Southaven Dist. 2 Benton, Marshall, Tippah Bill Renick, Ashland Dist.

3 Pontotoc, Tippah, Union Walter "Pud" Graham, New Albany Dist. 4 Alcorn, Tishomingo Irb Benjamin, Rienzi Dist. 5 Itawamba, Prentiss, Tishomingo John White, Baldwyn Dist. 6 Lee Roger Wicker, Tupelo Dist. 7 Clay, Lowndes, Monroe Hob Bryan, Amory Dist.

8 Calhoun, Chickasaw, Clay, Lee Jack Gordon, Okolona Dist. 9 Calhoun, Lafayette, Yalobusha Johnny Morgan, Ox'ord Dist. 10 Panola, Tate Ronnie Musgrove, Batesville Dist. 11 Coahoma, DeSoto, Quitman, Tunica Kenneth O. Williams, Clarksdale Dist.

12 Bolivar, Coahoma Nevin Sledge, Cleveland Dist. 13 Coahoma, Sunflower Robert L. Crook, Ruleville Dist. 14 Carroll, Leflore Bunky Huggins, Greenwood Dist. 15 Grenada, Montgomery, Tallahatchie John Keeton, Grenada Dist.

16 Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Webster BillHarpole, Starkville Dist. 17 Lowndes Bill Canon, Columbus Dist. 18 Choctaw, Neshoba, Winston Terry L. Jordan, Philadelphia Dist. 19 Attala, Carroll, Choctaw, Leake, Montgomery, Webster "M.G.

"Buddy" Bond, Carthage Dist. 20 Holmes, Madison, Yazoo Bob Montgomery, Canton Dist. 21 Holmes, Humphreys, Yazoo Ollie Mohamed, Belzoni Dist. 22 Humphrey, Sharkey, Sunflower, Washington, Yazoo Hainon Miller, Greenville Dist. 23 Issaquena, Warren, Washington Outcome pending Robert Monty, Greenville Tom Cameron, Greenville Dist.

24 Warren Ken Harper, Vicksburg Dist. 25 Hinds Dick Hall, Jackson.