As the mercury soared into the mid-90s Saturday, contested primary races seemed to heat up as well – with candidates for the state Senate and House of Representatives making the rounds to seek votes in the final, frenetic weekend before Tuesday’s voting.

At the Warren County Courthouse, where absentee voting came to a close, Circuit Clerk Shelly Ashley-Palmertree said about 350 ballots had been collected by her office by Saturday’s noon deadline, including 22 that morning.

Students and disabled voters made up the bulk of those voting early, she said, adding totals compared almost identically to absentee primary voting in 2003.

Voter turnout in primary balloting four years ago was 27.4 percent, or 9,124 votes cast. In 1999, about 31 percent turned out. Registration for this year’s election year is 35,550, up about 6 percent from 2003.

Hopefuls in the two legislative contests stuck close to home, campaigning in areas seen as friendly territory for voting day.

James &#8220Buddy” Terrell began the day early, surrounded by a few supporters at Jr’s Chevron at Halls Ferry and Fisher Ferry roads.

Terrell, a retired state trooper, has financed his first – and, in his view, his last – run for public office without taking contributions.

&#8220I’ve gotten some compliments on that,” Terrell said, passing out cards to anyone within reach. &#8220I’m not obligated to anyone.”

Reports on others in the race raising thousands to become the next senator from District 23 had Terrell feeling a bit reflective about refusing contributions.

&#8220If I had it to do over again, I’d probably take some.”

His Republican rival, Briggs Hopson III, sought support in his own backyard, knocking on doors around Highland Drive, a neighborhood where he remembers spending much of his boyhood.

Campaigning alone and hauling stacks of fliers in his self-described &#8220mobile office,” Hopson, an attorney and a first-time candidate, said he has learned a lot in his initial run.

&#8220Some people want to talk for an hour and some want to talk for 2 minutes,” he said.

Residents such as Bob Thompson who knew the Hopson name from his father’s medical practice and pageant involvement greeted the affable attorney with smiles.

&#8220I just saw your father not long ago,” Thompson said.

Despite Hopson’s campaign theme, one putting education and health care at the forefront, those who didn’t seem to recognize him were a bit more deliberate.

&#8220Some candidates, they campaign one way and get in there and go another way,” said Terry Steed, doing lawn work in the area.

Rep. Chester Masterson shunned the idea of campaigning in the afternoon heat and spent Saturday at home.

&#8220There’s been enough talk. People have their minds made up,” the 74-year-old retired physician and two-term legislative veteran said.

In running for the seat occupied by outgoing incumbent Sen. Mike Chaney, Masterson is trying to duplicate a feat twice accomplished by Chaney following similar instances of local legislators becoming state-level officials.

In 1993, former state Rep. Ed Buelow was named chairman of the state Tax Commission. Chaney ran for the open seat and was elected. Six years later, Chaney won the Senate seat after former state Sen. Grey Ferris vacated his seat for a race to be lieutenant governor.

If unsuccessful, Masterson said, he will settle into his &#8220second retirement,” but added, &#8220signs don’t vote.”

The top vote-getter in Tuesday’s primary will face uncontested Democrat Eric Rawlings in the general election Nov. 6.

Both candidates in the race for Masterson’s seat in House District 54 shored up support in northeast Warren County, then trekked to the Governor’s Cup baseball tournament at Halls Ferry Park.

Businessman Alex Monsour and attorney Ryan Sadler provided fans for the fans – as small, wooden-handled fans bearing campaign signage moved back and forth among lines of parents in the stands.

Aside from advertisements mentioning taxes and social issues, Monsour has campaigned on themes usually reserved for municipal races – attracting more entertainment venues to Vicksburg and fighting crime.

&#8220I’m tired of people saying it can’t be done from the state level,” Monsour said, adding his &#8220good family base” will help him take the nomination and the seat.

&#8220I fully intend to win,” he said.

The 27-year-old Sadler, who is the son of a local dentist, was flanked by relatives and other &#8220twentysomething” supporters comprising what he calls his &#8220family fan crew.”

People he has reached by phone during recent push-calls have mentioned abortion, guns and education as most important to them, Sadler said.

Some whom he met Saturday were already talking about speaking engagements by Sadler, a Vicksburg native and Jackson-based lobbyist who, if elected in November, would be younger than any current House member.

&#8220To the extent a voter wants to be educated, the information is out there,” Sadler said.

The winner of the Monsour-Sadler race will face uncontested Democrat Jennifer Thomas and independent Tom Setser in the general election. Thomas is unopposed in the primary.