NATCHEZ &045;&045; Election officials are hoping for at least as big of a turnout today for the District 94 runoff &045;&045; and the two candidates are hoping for a bigger turnout.

James &uot;Rickey&uot; Gray and Robert Johnson III will face off in the election for state representative, a special election held to replace now Natchez Mayor Phillip West.

The district includes parts of Adams, Jefferson and Claiborne counties.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Both candidates were out campaigning on Monday.

&uot;I think it’s looking real good,&uot; Gray said. He noted that voters are talking to him about &uot;jobs, jobs and jobs.&uot;

Some voters are also concerned about cuts to education and Medicaid, he said.

Gray, a Natchez alderman, has said he would keep his city seat if elected to the House of Representatives. There are other representatives in similar situations, and a state attorney general’s opinion holds that it does not violate state law.

Johnson said he has been talking to voters about the experience he brings to office. Johnson was a state senator for nearly 12 years.

&uot;(Voters) may like a lot of candidates, but they know I have the best shot at getting the things we need in this area,&uot; Johnson said.

Having held office at the Capitol in the past gives Johnson an edge in getting committee leadership posts, he said.

Adams County Elections Commission Chairman Larry Gardner said the commission hopes for a turnout at least as high as the first election, which in Adams County was about 37 percent.

Not all precincts in Adams County will vote today, only those in District 94. That caused some confusion in the last election.

The precincts which vote today are Bellemont Sub-B, located at the Elks Lodge at 241 Lower Woodville Road; Duncan Park (not including Sub-A), Duncan Park Canteen; Concord, Union Hall, 410 Gayosa Ave.;Maryland Heights, 111 Dumas Drive; NPS Multi-Purpose Building, 311 Liberty Road; Old Thompson School, 1038 N. Union St.; Carpenter, Cathedral School, 701 Martin Luther King Jr. St.; Morgantown Elementary, 101 Cottage Home Drive; Northside, Frazier Primary School, 1445 George F. West Blvd.; Pine Ridge, District 4 Barn, 176 Foster Mound Road; Foster Mound, District 5 Barn, 228 Foster Mound Road; Oakland, Lovely Lane United Methodist Church, 65 Morgantown Road; Natchez-Adams County Airport Fire Station; and Washington School (not including Sub-A), 833 U.S. 61 N.