James Padilla has been named the official winner of the Republican race for Henry County sheriff in the primary election.
After the primary on Feb. 2, Padilla edged Dan Collier by just 32 votes. But Henry County Clerk Barb Link said her office was still awaiting 68 absentee ballots.
Only two Republican ballots were among absentee ballots received by the Tuesday, Feb. 16 deadline. One had a vote for Collier, the other had no vote for either candidate.
After a vote canvass, the final vote totals for Republican candidates were Padilla 2,330; Collier, 2,299; and Joe Bedford, 939.
Padilla will face Democrat Tim Wise in November.
