Batteau bests Lipe; will be new Perry County clerk

Republican John Batteau was elected county clerk Tuesday night, part of a Republican sweep through Perry County.

With all 27 precincts reporting in Tuesday night - including early votes and mailed ballots - Batteau won the clerk's seat over current County Clerk Beth Lipe, 5664 votes to 4,229. All votes are considered unofficial until they are canvassed in two weeks.

Batteau, the former supervisor of assessments for Perry County, could not be reached late Tuesday night. Lipe, when reached, conceded her defeat.

"We may get some trailing (mail-in) ballots, but it's over," Lipe said, adding it was the end of a 36½-year career working for Perry County in one capacity or another. "I've been here since I was 18."

Lipe, a Democrat, was appointed to the clerk's job in April 2019 when then-county clerk Josh Gross left to take over as manager of the Du Quoin State Fair.

Batteau's election will fill the job for the remainder of the two years left on Gross's term, and the seat will be reelected again in 2022.

His victory was part of a GOP sweep in Perry County, which included Bruce Morgenstern beating incumbent county board member Susan Hepp Tuesday night, and State's Attorney David H. Searby easily defeating his democratic challenger Bubba Harsy.