With 1,275 votes, Andy Compton defeated Edward A. Williams to become the Democratic nominee in the race for Crenshaw County’s sheriff.

An overcast and often miserable Tuesday forecast didn’t stop more than 2,400 Crenshaw County voters from casting their ballots, despite relatively few local races on the small ballot.

And Compton was thankful for each and every one of them.

“It feels good.  People have shown their support for me, and I’d like to thank them,” Compton said.

“I’m very proud of their support and the turnout in today’s election.”

Tuesday’s runoff is a very different tale from June’s primary, in which Williams led all seven candidates in the sheriff race with 712 votes (32 percent of the vote) to Compton’s 439.

For Compton, the answer to turning the tables lay in kicking his campaign trail into overdrive.

“It’s just getting out, campaigning and meeting people, and asking for their vote and support,” Compton said.

“It’s tiring, but I welcomed it.  This is what I want.  If you’re going to achieve something, you’ve got to work for it, and you’re going to have to be tired.”

Also on Tuesday’s ballot were a handful of Republican races for Secretary of State, in which Reese McKinney prevailed over John Merrill by a margin of 122 votes to 54 votes, and State Auditor, in which Jim Zeigler came out ahead of Dale Peterson with 125 votes to 47 votes.

Chris “Chip” Beeker Jr. also narrowly edged out Terry Dunn 85 votes to 82 for place no. 2 of the Public Service Commission.