By STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

NATCHEZ — In the race to fill the District 37 State Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Bob Dearing, D-Natchez, Republicans Melanie Sojourner and Morgan Halford Poore, appear to be headed to an Aug. 27 runoff.

Sojourner of Natchez garnered 3,028 votes, or 45%, to Poore’s 1,877 votes, or 28% of the vote, with 100% of the district’s 57 precincts reporting unofficial results in Tuesday’s primary elections. Poore is of Meadville.

Election officials are working to count absentee and affidavit ballots before certifying the results later this week.

The winner of the primary will advance to the Nov. 5 general election to face Democratic candidate William E. Godfrey of Natchez who was the only Democrat in the race.

Other Republicans in the race were Kevin B. Wells, who garnered 811 votes, or 14% of the vote and Milt Burris, who got 884 votes, or 13% of the vote.