Early Voting begins May 7

Early Voting begins May 7

Election Commission, County Clerk release early voting schedule for upcoming party primaries, school board & judicial elections

ralphhardin@gmail.com Election season is in full swing around the nation, across the state and right here in Crittenden County.

Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, May 22, to cast their ballots in a number of local races, including all county offices and a number of other seats as office-seeking candidates will vie for votes.

For those looking to beat the Election Day crowds, there will be a full calendar of Early Voting ahead of the vote.

Early Voting for the May 22 election will begin on Monday, May 7, and will run through Monday, May 21. Voters can cast their ballots at the County Courthouse Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Early voting will end at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 21, the day before the election).

Absentee voting is also available for those who are registered in Crittenden County but live elsewhere — college students or military personnel, for example. A designated bearer may pick up and turn in a maximum of two absentee ballots.

A number of races will be decided in the May 22 elections. Local Republicans will have the opportunity to decide between incumbent Governor Asa Hutchinson and challenger for the GOP nomination Jan Morgan.

The winner in that race will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November. The gubernatorial candidates for the Democrats are Jared K. Henderson and Leticia Sanders.

Democratic voters in Arkansas Senate District 24 will also have to choose between an incumbent and a contender. State Senator Keith Ingram is being challenged for the nomination by Turrell Mayor Dorothy Cooper. The winner of the primary will ostensibly win the seat, as no other major party candidates have filed to run in November.

A little closer to home, two Democrats are seeking the Crittenden County Treasurer’s Office. Matt Thompson and Lavonda Taylor are both vying for votes in that race. In Quorum Court JP District 7, incumbent Justice Ronnie Marconi is facing Kyle Watkins in a primary showdown. And in JP District 12, Cynthia Barnes Lucas and Sherry Holliman are the candidates for an open seat, as Justice Hubert Bass is not seeking re-election.

Arkansas will also be holding a Republican Primary for Secretary of State. The nomination will come down to State Representative Trevor Down and Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston. Current Secretary of State Mark Martin is term-limited and can not seek reelection.

In the non-partisan judicial elections, the only contested race for local voters to weigh in on is the State Supreme Court Associate Justice Position 3 seat, currently held by Justice Courtney Goodson, who is facing a pair of challengers, Judge Kenneth Hixson and David Sterling.

West Memphis and Marion are both also holding school board elections in May, a shift from holding separate school board elections in September mandated by a new law passed by the Arkansas State Legislature. There are no contested races, but voters will have the opportunity to vote for or against continuing the school millage in West Memphis (29 mills) and Marion (40.7 mills).

All other county officers are running unopposed or will not be facing opposing candidates until the November elections, where a number of municipal races will also be decided. Polls will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, May 22, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. For those who would like to get an inside look at part of the electoral process, the Crittenden County Election Commission will be performing Logic and Accuracy (L& A) testing on all of its voting machines on Monday, April 30, from 10 a.m. until noon, in the Election Commission Office in the County Office Building, 116 Center St., Marion. The public is invited to observe. The Election Commission will also hold an open meeting on Thursday, May 3, at noon in the Election Commission Office.

The public is invited to attend.

By Ralph Hardin