SIERRA VISTA — Ann Littrell, the incumbent Cochise County Division 4 judge, was re-elected Tuesday to her second term, beating John Kelliher Jr.

Littrell was elected the county’s first female Superior Court judge in 2004. During an interview on Tuesday night, she quipped, “I get to say I am the first woman re-elected, now.”

Littrell, a Democrat, received 19,796 votes or about 57 percent, based on unofficial results.

“I am very happy and very grateful to everyone, and I think it shows that the people of Cochise County want a judge who cares and, especially on the juvenile bench, a judge who is willing to go that extra mile to set up programs to help rehabilitate kids and families,” she said.

Kelliher, a Republican who has practiced law for 26 years in Sierra Vista, received 14,817 votes or nearly 43 percent, according to the unofficial results. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

During the race, Littrell was criticized for being disorganized, late and lenient. Kelliher claimed her administrative problems resulted in presiding Judge Wallace Hoggatt’s decision to reassign some of the Division 4 caseload to Division 2 Judge Stephen Desens.

Littrell maintained she made the decision to transfer the cases due to an increase in the number of contested hearings and the need to set matters within required deadlines.

On Tuesday night, Littrell acknowledged the negative attacks probably caused her to lose some supporters.

“But when I went to talk to people in the community, it surprised me because I didn’t think many people knew about judges, but everywhere I went I talked to people who knew of some of the programs and that I would take the time to listen to people in court,” she said. “A lot of people had some very nice things to say about me because they know that I do care and I am not just some bureaucrat sitting on a bench.”

In other races, Division 5 Judge James Conlogue and County Attorney Ed Rheinheimer, who both ran unopposed for their respective positions, also won.

Conlogue, a Democrat who was appointed judge of the newly created Division 5 effective January of 2007, received 29,457 votes or more than 98 percent.

Rheinheimer, a Republican who was elected to his first term as county attorney in 2004, received 29,559 votes or nearly 98 percent.