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ROCKY MOUNT -- Franklin County voters chose Republican Ewell Hunt by a razor-thin margin to take over for popular Franklin County Sheriff Quint Overton, whose retirement marks the end of a political era for the county.

The race went down to the wire, with just over 200 votes separating Hunt, the outgoing sheriff's longtime right-hand man, from Democrat Bill Overton, the sheriff's son, who is a captain in the sheriff's department.

The contest between Hunt and Overton in the four-way race for sheriff was the most closely watched in an election that created a new political landscape, as five incumbents either retired or left their seats to vie for other positions.

As vote totals came in throughout the night, the two remained within 300 votes of each other.

Early returns had Overton on top, but Hunt edged him out as the night went on and managed to keep a slender lead, finishing 222 votes ahead.

Two other candidates, Boones Mill Police Chief Lynn Frith and convenience store manager Wayne Hodges, also sought the sheriff's seat, but the race has commonly been viewed as Hunt's or Overton's to win or lose. Because both men work in the department now, the race has raised concerns about whether its results will have a divisive effect on the sheriff's office.

Hunt said Tuesday night that he has no intention of making sweeping changes to the sheriff's office.

"I'd like to make some improvements to what's already there," he said.

Overton could not be reached for comment by deadline.

The sheriff's race was one of five that produced fresh faces in the county's political scene.

In the county's other constitutional office race, voters overwhelmingly backed Teresa Brown to replace retiring Clerk of Circuit Court Alice Hall. Brown had Hall's endorsement for the position. General District Court Clerk Jackie Brubaker also ran for the seat, but Brown defeated her by a margin of 2-to-1.

The Union Hall District, which adjoins Smith Mountain Lake, will be represented by Franklin County Sheriff's Lt. David Cundiff.

Incumbent Charles Poindexter ran for the Virginia House of Delegates, leaving his former county supervisor's seat open. Redwood Express owner Ronnie Robertson also ran for the post, but lost decisively to Cundiff.

Bobby Thompson, a Ferrum College vice president, came out on top in the five-person race for the board of supervisors seat vacated by retiring Blue Ridge District Supervisor Hubert Quinn.

The district, which includes Ferrum and Ferrum College, remains the last in the county without zoning and most of the candidates vowed to keep it that way. Thompson, however, has said there needs to be another referendum to make sure that's what residents want.

Edward Jamison won the three-way contest to replace Carl Dudley as the school board member for the Blue Ridge District.

Dudley vacated the post to run for board of supervisors, and lost to Thompson by 28 votes.