Panola voters have chosen Otis Griffin as sheriff in a runoff election November 23.

 Griffin, appointed interim sheriff in September, 2009, following the death of Sheriff Hugh “Shot” Bright, polled 6,652 votes to Dennis Darby’s 6,267, Panola County Election Commission Chairman Ronald McMinn said. The count is unofficial.

 About 200 affidavit ballots will be counted on Wednesday, but they will not affect the outcome, McMinn said.

Election workers completed the counting of absentees shortly before midnight Tuesday.

In other races, Gerald Chatham received 5,993 votes to Stan Little’s 5,749 votes in a race for a newly-created circuit judgeship in the five county Seventeeth Judicial District. Chatham also outpolled Little in the other counties and is the apparent winner.

In the special election for Justice Court Judge in Panola County’s First District, Mike Wilson won with 2,326 votes to Hal Johnson’s 1,231 votes. The election was called following the death of Justice Court Judge James Appleton last year.

Both special election winners will serve the remainder of the current terms of office which run until the end of 2011.