BAY MINETTE — Baldwin County voters overwhelming endorsed Republican presidential candidate John McCain Tuesday in a historic election which seated the nation’s first African-American and drew record numbers to the polls locally and nationally.

With 65 of 67 precincts reporting at press time, McCain led Barack Obama by a 58,540-18,567 margin.

Voters also approved three local constitutional amendments.

• Amendment 1, which creates a second Baldwin County Board of Equalization to rule on property tax disputes was approved by a 44,000 to 18,090 margin.

• Amendment 2, approved 42,090-19,306, empowers the Baldwin County Commission  to adopt laws governing the use of boat launches, parks and other county-owned properties.

• Amendment 3, which passed 40,867 to 19,933, paves the way for legislation control  of local private sewage systems.

The unofficial Baldwin County results do not include about 5,000 absentee votes which were being compiled at press time, according to Probate Judge Adrian Johns.

While the Democratic Party did not achieve the filibuster majority of 60 Senate seats it longed for, the Democrats retained a majority by claiming 17 of the 35 seats. The Republican party claimed 14 seats, and four seats were undecided at press time.

The Democrats claimed a majority in the House of Representatives as well claiming 217 seats. The Republican Party claimed 138 seats, and 80 seats were undecided at press time.

The turnout required deputies to use more spacious vehicles to transport ballots from Orange Beach, Daphne, Foley and Fairhope to Bay Minette for tallying. An additional voting machine was used for the first time to count absentee ballots, and volunteers and deputies helped direct traffic flow at polling sites with vehicles overflowing road rights of way.

For complete election results, go to co.baldwin.al.us. Click on probate, elections, election night.