After a close city clerk’s race, two candidates will face each other in the May 16 primary runoff.

Neither Donnie Holloway nor Fredericka Cain Todd got the majority vote needed to outright win the Democratic primary.

&uot;We start all over again,&uot; said Holloway, who got 43.27 percent of the vote, or 2,456 votes.

&uot;We’re going to work hard,&uot;&160;said Todd, who got 36.36 percent of the vote, or 2,064 votes.

Billy Geoghegan got 17.27 percent of the vote, or 980 votes. And Peter Rinaldi, who dropped out of the race two weeks ago, got 2.91 percent of the vote, or 165 votes.

Holloway, who is business manager for Natchez Ford Lincoln Mercury, said he will continue to campaign on his qualifications.

He said he had expected to see a larger voter turnout. Fewer than 50 percent of the voters came to the polls Tuesday.

Todd, who is executive director of the Miss-Lou Rural Health Clinic, said she will now begin to address specifically some of the things she wants to see in the city clerk’s office, including a &uot;financially acceptable concept of ‘earmarking’ funds where all funds will not go into the general fund.&uot;

Todd said she did not know if that process is done now in the city clerk’s office.

Todd also said if elected she wants to donate $12,000 of the city clerk’s salary to recreation projects in Ward 1. The city clerk earns $48,000 yearly salary.

Geoghegan said he thought the race was run well, and that he will now probably support Holloway in the primary runoff.

The winner of the runoff faces independent JoeAnne Hicks in the June 6 general election. Only voters who voted in Tuesday’s primary can vote in runoff.

The city clerk’s campaign began early, with four candidates qualifying even before any of the mayoral candidates qualified.

Early issues included how much influence a city clerk actually has on the mayor and board of aldermen, as well as what qualifications each candidate has.

Holloway has emphasized his experience with public funds — he is president of the Natchez-Adams County Port Commission — and his 13 years of banking experience.

Todd has emphasized her educational and experiential background. She holds a Ph.D. in educational administration and has served as an educator and business consultant.