A day after the primary election that put them in a mayoral runoff, Larry L. “Butch” Brown and F.L. “Hank” Smith may be getting the same advice as they continue to campaign: Get out the vote.

“That’s the key to it,” said Dr. Alton Hall, a local veterinarian who’s been involved in politics for a number of years. “Getting out the vote.”

Although it was previously reported that those who did not vote in the first primary cannot vote in the second primary, any registered vote can vote in the May 16 runoff.

Brown received 45.21 percent of the vote, or 2,582 votes, while Smith received 38.43 percent, or 2,195 votes. John “Pulley Bone” Pullen received 16 percent of the vote, or 917 votes.

Former Mayor Tony Byrne — who joked he was glad to be playing tennis when the results came in Tuesday night — said he was surprised Pullen received so many votes.

“A lot of the election is going to depend on who gets out the vote,”&160;Byrne said.

“It’s just a matter of getting out there and shaking hands and meeting people,” said attorney Johnny Junkin, who often reports election results on the radio. “There’s no magic to it.”

About 47 percent of Natchez’s registered voters — 5,784 ? voted Tuesday. More than 12,000 are registered. Byrne thinks that number is too high for a town of 20,000. “The poll books are out-of-date,” he said.

In analyzing the numbers, some people said the anti-incumbent vote was strong.

“The longer you stay in office the harder it is for the incumbent,” Byrne said.

Hall said he thinks Brown has created a lot of opposition over the last eight years.

“It’s extremely difficult for an incumbent to be able to remove the negative opinions,” Hall said. “Butch is in a vulnerable position and most probably will be beaten in the runoff.”

Former Adams County Circuit Clerk Fred Ferguson, who supports Brown, said he was surprised the mayor did not win the Democratic nomination.

“It takes a special person to be mayor of this town,” said Ferguson. “Anybody can’t say, ‘I’m going to be mayor.’ I’m not thinking about any one person — I’m thinking about the future of Natchez, Mississippi.”

Not surprisingly for someone who urged the audience at one political forum to vote for “anyone but the current administration,” Pullen said he will now be working for Smith.

“The battle’s only halfway won,” Pullen said. “Our platforms were pretty well close; new jobs is the main issue.”

Byrne said he thought not all of Pullen’s votes were “anti-Brown” votes. “John has quite a few friends,” Byrne said. “People need to give him some credit. He created a lot of excitement in this race.”

Ferguson said he thinks some people who normally vote Republican may have misunderstood that they could vote in the Democratic primary.

As for the candidates, they’ve got their eyes on the next two weeks of campaigning.

Brown said he won’t change his strategy but will expand his efforts to reach voters. “We’re going to do some things a little differently to get the message out,”&160;said Brown, who added that part of that message is that “maturity and stability and competency” will continue if he is re-elected. He has campaigned on what he calls “proven results” of projects completed and proposed and business and political relationships formed.

Smith he is happy to have Pullen’s support. &uot;I’m happy to have any support,&uot; he said. &uot;That’s one of the first things I was told — you take your support from wherever you can get it.&uot; Smith said he’ll continue the same campaign methods and his message to voters.

Smith has campaigned on issues such as growth and economic development. Smith has said he would like to see more industries and jobs in Natchez and lower water bills. Smith also said he would halt work on the downtown convention center until the city studies whether that facility could actually be located at the Natchez Visitor Reception Center.

Regardless of which candidate local pundits may support, all simply encouraged every registered voter to vote in the May 16 primary runoff.

“If they love Natchez, they better get out and vote,”&160;Ferguson said. “If doesn’t affect people how they feel about political views until it hits them in the pocketbook.”

The winner of the May 16 runoff faces independent Robert F. Costa in the June 6 general election.

Phillip West is qualified to run as an independent in that election, but has said he plans to drop out. He has not officially withdrawn from the race.

Donnie Holloway and Fredericka Todd face each other in the May 16 runoff for the Democratic nomination for city clerk.

The winner of that race faces independent JoeAnne Hicks in the general election.