NATCHEZ — An unforeseen family problem halted the final absentee vote count Tuesday, Election Commission Chairman Larry Gardner said.

The count should be available sometime today, he said.

The Democratic Executive Committee that is putting together the final numbers has already double checked districts 1-3, Gardner said, but the member who was heading up the count had an emergency that forced her to leave before the job was completed Tuesday afternoon.

Some of the numbers have been entered into the computer, Gardner said, but some of the numbers have not, and they must be verified before the certification sheets can be signed and sent off.

“I was hoping we could get it done today, but we didn’t know they were going to have (this) issue,” he said.

The count will finalize the outcomes of the circuit clerk race between Edward C. “Eddie” Walker and candidate Jennifer “Lady J” Minor, as well as that between District 94 Rep. Robert L. Johnson III and Natchez Alderman James “Rickey” Gray.