16 runoffs set for November, 59 judicial races decided in August.

Voters decided 32 circuit court races and 43 county court races in the August 14 primary, with 16 of those contests--four circuit races and 12 county races--resulting in runoffs on the November general election ballot.

The election results showed that it can be difficult to unseat a sitting judge, even if there was less reluctance to challenge incumbents, as over half of the trial court elections had incumbent judges.

In circuit races, 15 incumbents won their contests, one is in a runoff, and two were defeated. In the county court balloting, 15 incumbents won their elections, three are in runoffs, and three were defeated.

Circuit court races that resulted in runoffs are:

* In the Second Circuit, Barbara Hobbs got 49.1 percent and will meet Judge Josefina M. Tamayo, who received 29.5 percent, in the November runoff. They eliminated Kris Dunn, who got 21.4 percent of the vote.

* In the Ninth Circuit, Group 7, Leticia "Letty" Marques, with 44.9 percent and Joel Wilson with 30.1 percent will meet in the runoff; they eliminated Eric DuBois with 25 percent of the vote.

* In the 10th Circuit, Group 7, Christine Trakas Thornhill got 43.2 percent of the vote and William "Bill" Sites got 33 percent to make the runoff over Larry Helms, who got 23.8 percent.

* In the 17th Circuit, Group 45, Julio E. Gonzalez, Jr., with 34.1 percent and Laura Marie Watson with 27.4 percent made the runoff, eliminating Oliver Parker with 15.6 percent and Rhoda Sokoloff with 23 percent.

County court races going to a runoff are:

* In Brevard County, Group 5, Curt Jacobus with 38.7 percent and Steve Koons with 38.1 percent made the runoff, eliminating Sam Edwards with 23.2 percent.

* In Broward County, Group 5, Robert "Bob" Nichols got 38.5 percent and Olga Levine got 36.3 percent to make the runoff, besting Richard Adam Sachs who received 25.2 percent. In Group 10, Judge Robert F. "Bob" Diaz got 49.7 and Roshawn Banks got 28 percent to make the runoff, eliminating Randy Goodis who got 22.3 percent.

* In Collier County, Group 2, Jim McGarity received 46.5 percent and Judge Eugene Turner got 42.5 percent to make the runoff and eliminate Samuel E. Lopez with 11 percent.

* In Duval County, Michelle Kalil received 40.8 percent and Rhonda Peoples-Waters got 31.5 percent to make the runoff, eliminating Ruth Ann Hepler with 27.8 percent.

* In Flagler County, Craig R. Atack with 24.6 percent and Melissa Moore Stens with 22.9 percent made the runoff in a seven-way race. They bested...