While the voters in Pearl River County voted more for John McCain, the nation and electoral college chose Barack Obama as the next president of the United States of America.

In the county, Republican McCain received 80.27 percent of the vote with 16,156 votes, while Democrat Obama received 18.52 percent or 3,727 votes. All results are preliminary and unofficial. There are still about 2,007 absentee, 692 affidavit and 62 curbside votes to count. Curbside votes are for disabled voters who need assistance voting.

Other races reporting in Tuesday’s election include Senate races with Republican Thad Cochran, beating Democrat Eric Flemming with 15,536 votes to 3,698 votes respectively.

Republican Roger Wicker beat Democrat Ronnie Musgrove for the unexpired Senate seat of Trent Lott with 12,524 votes to 6,544 votes respectively.

Incumbent Democrat Gene Taylor beat Republican John McCay III for House of Representatives with 11,502 votes to 7,894 votes respectively.

Idora White ran unopposed for Election Commissioner District I and received 2,472 votes.

Margaret Woodson also ran unopposed for her seat as Election Commissioner District II receiving 3,555 votes.

Tommy Breland beat Beatrice (Bea) Bond for Election Commissioner District III with 2,246 votes to 1,615 votes respectively.

Regie Hanberry ran unopposed for Election Commissioner District IV receiving 3,145 votes.

Harold J. Blappert ran unopposed for Election Commissioner District V receiving 3,927 votes.

Supereme Court Judge District II Position II candidate Randy “Bubba” Pierce beat Oliver Diaz, 10,314 votes to 6,984 votes respectively.

David M. Ishee ran unopposed for Supreme Court Judge District V Position II, receiving 15,344 votes.

Long lines held some of the election process up in only a few districts. However, Circuit Clerk Vickie Hariel said that none of the precincts reported any major problems.

“I thought it went real good considering the number of people who came out,” Hariel said.

Preliminary figures show that about 56.66 percent of the county’s voters turned out Tuesday. That figure does not include absentee and affidavit votes.

The only complaint that Hariel received dealt with the need for more voting machines for larger precincts.

Election Commissioner Bobby Robbins said the machines in his district gave poll workers no problems during Tuesday’s election.