NATCHEZ &045;&045; If Tuesday’s 62.75 percent turnout for the mayoral general election isn’t a record turnout, it’s pretty close to it, said City Clerk Donnie Holloway.

&uot;Usually, you would expect about 50 percent,&uot; Holloway said.

Given that this year’s mayoral contest generated so much interest, perhaps that should be no surprise.

&uot;There were tremendous get-out-the-vote efforts on both sides,&uot; said mayoral winner Phillip West. &uot;I don’t ever remember that kind of turnout before.

&uot;It was an indication of the interest this community had&uot; in the election, he said.

But Holloway said the real tip-off was the high number of absentee votes cast prior to the election &045;&045; 622 in all, compared to 151 cast in the 2000 general election.

&uot;It blows (past elections’ numbers) out of the water,&uot; Holloway said.

And compare the general election numbers with 256 absentee ballots in this year’s primaries and 257 absentee ballots in the Democratic runoff.

Sue Stedman, who received 100 fewer votes than West in Tuesday’s contest, could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.