Voters in all but two Floyd County precincts chose the Republican in the presidential and County Commission elections, but a straight-ticket preference did not necessarily extend to other contests on the ballot.

The city precincts of North Rome and South Rome chose Democrats — Barack Obama for president and Gary Harrell and Rick Garrett for County Commission.

Obama won the national election, but all three of those candidates came in behind their Republican opponents in the other four city precincts, Cave Spring and the 18 precincts serving the unincorporated part of the county.

Commissioners Irwin Bagwell and Garry Fricks were returned to office with nearly twice the number of votes as Garrett and Harrell.

In the Floyd County sheriff’s race, however, Democrat incumbent Tim Burkhalter topped Republican Cary Cooper in every precinct.

Burkhalter retained his seat with 21,013 votes to Cooper’s 10,480.

But incumbency didn’t seal the deal for Democrat Barbara Penson, and Mark McAllister didn’t get an automatic win based on the R-for-Republican after his name.

The two battled it out for the Superior Court Clerk seat and, two days after the election, the race is still too close to call.

Penson won out on Tuesday, 15,514 to 15,482. The slim, 32-vote lead gives McAllister the option of calling for a recount. And elections officials have until Friday to verify the 60 or so provisional ballots cast, which also could swing the race.

Penson was the favorite in all six city precincts and in Cave Spring and Garden Lakes. McAllister took the remaining 17 precincts in the unincorporated area.

In the state House District 12 race, only one city precinct — Mount Alto North — favored Democrat incumbent Barbara Massey

Reece over Republican challenger Eddie Lumsden.

Town Rome, the only other city precinct in the district, gave the top spot to Lumsden. He also won in Cave Spring, Garden Lakes and the other seven Floyd County precincts in the district.

Reece won nine of the 13 precincts in her home county of Chattooga, but lost the election to Lumsden, 8,754 to 8,240.

Floyd County voters were nearly united against Amendment 1, shooting it down in every precinct except South Rome.

The amendment, which was approved statewide, allows an appointed commission to create public charter schools over the objections of the state and local boards of education.

Election results