By Barbara Augsdorfer, Editor for the Effingham Herald

Melissa Calhoun and Daniel Rodewolt finished their hard-fought campaigns and won their respective seats in the June 18 runoff election in Effingham County.

The tax commissioner race was close all evening as votes were tallied. Rodewolt was ahead by just 230 votes with 16 precincts counted less than two hours after polls closed.

When all the votes were counted, Daniel Rodewolt had 1,438 (54.8%) to Kelly Hoffner’s 1,183 (45.1%) to

take the tax commissioner post. Calhoun received 1,623 (56.8%) to unseat Judge Stephen Yekel as state court judge. Yekel received 1,232 (43.1%) of the vote.

Early voting was held June 10-14. According to the Effingham County elections and registration office, 1,124 voters cast their ballots last week.

Another 1,762 voters cast ballots on Election Day, for a grand total of 2,886 or 6.25% of registered voters in the county.