NATCHEZ — After more than a week of waiting, absentee results from the Aug. 2 primary failed to create an unexpected twist of fate for candidates crossing their fingers in two close local races.

The addition of approximately 700 absentee ballots and a handful of affidavit votes to Election Day results maintained that voters chose Robert L. Johnson III as the winner for House District 94, and the race for circuit clerk will be decided in an Aug. 23 runoff between Incumbent Eddie Walker and Jennifer “Lady J” Minor.

Johnson received 245 absentee votes in Adams County, compared to his challenger, Natchez Alderman James “Rickey” Gray, who received 193 absentee votes.

Johnson won with 2,730 votes or 53.5 percent of the vote from all 20 District 94 precincts in Adams, Jefferson and Claiborne counties reporting in addition to Adams County absentee votes. Gray received 2,374 votes or 46.5 percent of the vote.

District 94 results do not include absentee ballot results from Claiborne or Jefferson counties, but those results should not have an affect on the race’s outcome.

In the race for circuit clerk Walker received 412 absentee votes, Minor received 258 absentee votes and Brit Gibson received 83 absentee votes.

Since Walker needed at least 545 votes to win the election outright by receiving the majority of votes of all candidates, he and Minor will face each other Aug. 23 in a runoff.

Including absentees, Walker received 3,828 votes or 48 percent of the votes, Minor received 3,046 votes or 38 percent and Gibson received 1,100 votes or 14 percent.

Official results of the Republican primary absentee were not completed by Wednesday, but the results will not affect any race’s outcomes.