2022 Early Voting starts today in Arkansas

Party primaries, school board and judicial races to be decided May 24

ralphhardin@gmail.com Early voting for the 2022 Arkansas preferential primary, school board and nonpartisan judicial elections on May 24 started today at 8 a.m. and runs through Monday, May 23.

Early voting hours will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays (no early voting on Sundays).

Voters take note: The early voting locations are different for this election. In Marion, early voting will take place at the Marion High School Arena Building. In West Memphis, polls will be open at the Roberta Jackson Neighborhood Center. Voters may go to either of these locations, regardless of where they live in Crittenden County.

Governor Asa Hutchinson is term limited, so with him stepping down after eight years, Arkansas will have a new governor and voters will have no shortage of options. Two Republicans will be on the ballot for GOP voters to choose from, including Francis “Doc” Washburn and Sarah Huckabee Sanders Governor, who many pundits believe to be a strong frontrunner in the race.

There are five candidates on the Democratic side, Anthony “Tony” Bland, Supha Xayprasith-Mays, James “Rus” Russell III, Chris Jones, and Jay Martin have all filed to seek their party’s nomination.

In the race for lieutenant governor, eight candidates are running for that office.

The Republicans are Attorney General Leslie Rutledge; former party chair Doyle Webb; state Sen. Jason Rapert of Conway; Washington County Judge Joseph Wood; Surgeon General Dr. Greg Bledsoe; and attorney Chris Bequette. Democrat Kelly Krout and Libertarian Frank Gilbert are also running.

Voters will be electing the state auditor, treasurer and land commissioner. Three candidates are running for state auditor, the state’s accountant and payroll officer: Republican Dennis Milligan, the current state treasurer; Democrat Diamond Arnold-Johnson; and Libertarian Simeon Show.

Three seek to become state treasurer, the state’s banker who presides over $5 billion in investments.

Republican candidates are state Sen. Mat Pitsch of Fort Smith, and Rep. Mark Lowery of Maumelle. Pam Whitaker is running as a Democrat.

Two candidates are running for land commissioner, whose duties include processing delinquent property taxes and leasing and permitting minerals on stateowned land: incumbent Republican Tommy Land; and Democrat Darlene Gaines.

Two other statewide offices are also elected. Three candidates are running for attorney general, the state’s lawyer: Republicans Lt.

Gov. Tim Griffin and Leon Jones, and Democrat Jesse Gibson. Four are running for secretary of state, who is in charge of elections and managing the Capitol.

The Republicans are the incumbent, John Thurston, and former state Sen. Eddie Joe Williams of Cabot.

Democrats Anna Beth Gorman and Joshua Price are also competing for the job.

Voters in this region will also be electing a new State Senator. Keith Ingram is stepping down, leaving a wide-open race for the newly-created District 9 Senate seat. A pair of Democrats will face off in the May primary, former Turrell Mayor Dorothy Cooper and State Representative Reginald Murdock of Marianna. The Republican candidate Terry Fuller of Poplar Grove will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November.

In the race for the State Representative District 35 seat, State Rep. Milton Nicks is facing a primary challenge from Demetris Johnson Jr. of Earle. There is no Republican contender in that race. State Rep.

Deborah Ferguson of District 63 is also facing an opponent in the May primary. She is being challenged by Lincoln Emmanuel Barnett of St.

Francis County. Again, there is no Republican candidate for that seat.

A number of local and county races will also be in the hands of voters. For a closer look at those candidates and races, see tomorrow’s e-edition of the Times Online.