NATCHEZ – Unofficial vote totals Tuesday night put Natchez mayoral candidate Philip West and city judge candidate Jim Blough in the June 8 general election.

While there are still 109 absentee ballots and an unknown number of affidavit ballots to be counted, unofficial totals show West beating incumbent F.L. “Hank” Smith with 50.75 percent of the vote and Blough beating Patricia Fleming Dunmore with 50.74 percent of the vote.

Election officials will begin the process of counting those ballots today to arrive at the official total.

West would face Republican Sue Stedman and independent Richard Branyan in the June 8 general election. If unofficial results hold, Blough will be elected to the city judge’s post. He has been municipal judge pro tem for 27 years.