Practically

unknown on the local political scene, newcomer Sheila Studdard pulled

off a stunning upset Tuesday, ousting longtime Superior Court clerk W.A.

"Bud" Ballard 21,734 to 18,231.

Fayette voters

turned out in droves Tuesday to elect three county officials, decide referendum

questions and participate in state and national elections.

Election officials

reported 82.6 percent voter turnout in Fayette, about the same percentage

as in 1992 but with many more total registered voters.

Studdard, a

Republican, led during most of the vote counting Tuesday night, receiving

54.38 percent of the votes cast.

Although Ballard

is a Democratic incumbent in a county that votes heavily for Republicans,

observers were shocked at the upset. Ballard has served in the post for

seven terms and has been a fixture in local politics for decades.

That race was

the only big surprise in local balloting, as Republican A.G. VanLandingham

won the Post 1 County Commission seat 26,014 to 12,610 over Democrat Elizabeth

Jane Barnes, and Republican Marion Key took the Post 3 Board of Education

seat over William Bryan III, 27,788 to 10,914.

Republican

challenger Bryan Hilton narrowly edged out incumbent state Sen. Greg Hecht

in Fayette, 9,334 to 8,225, but Hecht pulled enough votes in the rest

of his 34th District to win reelection easily, 31,754 to 19,703.

And, as expected,

Fayette's U.S. congressman, Rep. Mac Mattingly, coasted into reelection

over Democratic challenger Gail Notti, winning 30,903 to 9,783 in Fayette

and 146,668 to 83,348 district-wide.

A $65 million

bond referendum to build new schools and improve older ones passed 22,725

to 16,325, and Fayetteville voters gave the nod to legalizing liquor by

the drink, 1,157 to 940.