NATCHEZ — While the polling locations weren’t as crowded Tuesday as they were for the last presidential primary election, a total of 2,952 Natchez and Adams County voters hit the polls Tuesday to cast their vote for the next Republican presidential candidate.

With votes from 19 of 20 precincts reported Tuesday night, the unofficial count showed Mitt Romney in a tight lead in Adams County’s Republican presidential primary election.

Romney received approximately 36 percent of the votes, just 2.2 percent more than the 33.8 percent Newt Gingrich received.

Rick Santorum had 26.3 percent of the vote in Adams County Tuesday night.

Leigh Anderson said the presidential primary election brought her out to the polls and despite the close race between all four candidates — her vote was clear.

“I like (Rick) Santorum because of his ethics and policies,” Anderson said. “I like them all, but he stands out to me.”

With no clear front-runner in the race thus far, Anderson said it’s too early to tell who will be competing against President Obama this November.

“As long as there’s a Republican in office, I’ll be happy,” Anderson said.

Virginia O’Beirne also said the presidential primary brought her to the polls, but that she took the time to vote for the House and Senate seats.

“I knew they were on the ballot, but I was surprised to see some of the people who were running that I didn’t know,” O’Beirne said.

In the Senate race, Albert N. Gore Jr. received 66 percent of the Democratic vote, with Roger Weiner trailing with almost 21 percent and Will Oatis with nearly 13 percent.

Republican incumbent Sen. Roger Wicker led the Republican votes with 92 percent. Wicker faced Robert Maloney, who received nearly 5 percent of the votes, and E. Allen Hathcock, who received 3 percent.

In the 3rd District Congressional race, Republican incumbent Gregg Harper received 94 percent of the votes, beating Robert J. Allen.

Uncontested Democrat Crystal C. Biggs received more than 98 percent of the Democratic vote.

But still, voters were talking about the presidential race Tuesday.

O’Beirne said she likes certain things about all four Republican presidential candidates, but that none stand out yet.

“I wish there was one that had all their qualities combined,” O’Beirne said. “We’ll just have to wait until the water settles and see who comes out on top.”

Everette and Catherine Ratcliffe said they came out to vote in hopes of selecting one candidate that can change the direction the country is going.

“With this kind of debt we’re in, people need to look around and see where our country is heading,” Everette said. “I think of this as the last stand.”

Long time Democratic voter Charles Owens said he casts his vote any chance he can get.

“I remember not too long ago when black people couldn’t vote, so I take every opportunity I can to vote,” Owens said.

President Obama was unopposed on the Democratic primary ticket.

Obama received more than 99 percent of the votes for the Democratic presidential primary race, with 1,011 of the 1,018 votes. The remaining seven votes were write-ins.

Despite the efforts of each Republican candidate campaigning in Mississippi and other Southern states, Owens said he wasn’t too impressed with any of the candidates and voted for Obama.

“I hear what the (Republican) candidates say, but I don’t listen to them because I know they’ll say whatever it takes to get in office,” Owens said.

Election commission Chairman Larry Gardner said only 19 precincts reported because a poll worker at the Lovely Lane United Methodist Church polling location forgot to take the memory cards out of the voting machines before locking up the church. Gardner said the commission could not get in the church Tuesday night to get the cards, so the votes cast at the church would be counted today.

Gardner said the 14 percent voter turnout was low as anticipated.

“I figured we would be lucky to get 10 percent,” he said. “But the turnout for the (2008) presidential primary was not much better than this year’s primary, and that race was contested for both parties.”