ABSENTEE BALLOTS CREATE "WALKOFF" WIN FOR DEMOCRATS

22-THOUSAND ABSENTEE BALLOTS PROVIDED SEVERAL WOODBURY COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES WITH WHAT AMOUNTED TO A WALK OFF HOME RUN TUESDAY NIGHT.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES LED THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR AND STATEHOUSE RACES THROUGH MOST OF THE EARLY RETURNS, BUT WHEN THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS CAME IN, THEY WERE MAINLY DEMOCRATIC.

AS A RESULT, JACKIE SMITH, MARK MONSON AND LARRY CLAUSEN RETAINED THEIR SEATS ON THE WOODBURY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND CHRIS HALL AND DAVID DAWSON WERE ELECTED TO THE IOWA HOUSE.

WOODBURY COUNTY AUDITOR PAT GILL SAYS HE WASN'T SURPRISED BY THE ABSENTEE SWING VOTES:



GILL WAS ELECTED TO A NEW TERM AS COUNTY AUDITOR, A POSITION HE'S HELD THE PAST 16 YEARS:

GILL WON AGAINST FORMER SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT DOUG BATCHELLER.

REPUBLICAN DAVE DREW DEFEATED DEMOCRAT DOUG BOETGER IN THE RACE FOR COUNTY SHERIFF TO BECOME THE ONLY REPUBLICAN TO WIN A CONTESTED RACE IN WOODBURY COUNTY.