Howard County
Arkansas’s political filing period ended at noon Thursday for candidates for state, county, municipal and school elections.
There are several races on the Democrat ballot, and more contests on the November General Election ballot.
Races that will appear on the Preferential Primary Election on May 22.
Contested Democrat races include:
Mayor of Nashville — Billy Ray Jones and Don White.
Nashville Alderman, Ward 6, Position 1 — Andy Anderson and Jimmy Dale.
Candidates, including party affiliation, include (* indicates incumbent):
Independent
Sheriff — *Bryan K. McJunkins
JP Dist. 1 — *Kerry Strasner
JP Dist. 4 — *Janice Huffman
JP Dist. 6 — *Brent Pinkerton
JP Dist. 7 — *Martha Hobbs
County Clerk — *Keri Teague
Republican
County Judge — *Kevin S. Smith
Treasurer — *Sheri Mixon
Coroner — * John Gray
Constable Twp 1 — Travis Turner
JP Dist. 2 — Andy Hogg
JP Dist. 3 — *Richard ‘Dick’ Wakefield
JP Dist. 5 — *Jerry Harwell
JP Dist. 8 — David Mauk
Nashville
Alderman W1 P1 — Mike Harris
Alderman W1 P2 — *Joe Hoen
Alderman W2 P1 — *Donna Harwell
Alderman W5 P2 — *Carol Mitchell
Mayor — Matt Smith
Democrat
Circuit Clerk — *Angie Lewis
Tax Assessor — *Debbie Teague
Constable Twp 1 — Van Dwain Wildbur
JP Dist. 2 — Scotty Floyd
JP Dist. 4 — Shirley White-Souder
JP Dist. 5 — Julie Tuck
JP Dist. 8 — Don Marks
JP Dist. 9 — *Bobby Don Turner
Nashville
Alderman W1 P1 — Freddie Horne
Alderman W2 P2 — *Nick Davis
Alderman W3 P1 — Monica Clark
Alderman W3 P2 — *Vivian Annie Wright
Alderman W4 P1 — *Jimmie Lou Kirkpatrick
Alderman W4 P2 — *Kay Gathright
Alderman W5 P1 — *James Parker
Alderman W6 P1 — Jimmy Dale; *Andy Anderson
Alderman W6 P2 — *Mike Milum
City Clerk — *Mary Woodruff
Mayor — *Billy Ray Jones; Don White
Mineral Springs
Alderman W1 P1 — *Steve Dixon
Alderman W1 P2 — *James Jeanes
Alderman W2 P1 — *Charles W. Deloney
Alderman W2 P2 — Earle R. Haddan
Alderman W3 P1 — *Vera Marks
Alderman W3 P2 — Frankie L. Harris
Mayor — *Bobby Tullis
Schools
MS Zone 6 — *Jamie Hosey Jackson
MS Zone 2 — *Dorothy Vaughn
Nashville Zone 5 — *Monica D. Clark; Jamar Finley
State Races
Candidates for state offices which include all or part of Howard County include: State Senator, *Larry Teague (D); State Representative District 19, Jeremy Ross (D) and *Justin Gonzales (R); State Representative District 4, *DeAnn Vaught (R).
The filings indicate that there will be a contested race for Nashville mayor in November between a Republican and a Democrat. Also, there will be a race for a Nashville School Board position in September, and three JP races in the General Election.
Pike County
Candidates for 2018 elections in Pike County are set following the closing of the qualification period last Thursday at noon.
Officially, 28 candidates have officially qualified for the upcoming elections, according to Pike County Clerk Sandy Campbell.
Two independent candidates, Keith Couch (running for Pike County Judge) and Thomas O. Slatton (running for Pike County Sheriff/Collector), have filled out the necessary state paperwork to place them on the ballots, but have until May 1 to turn in petitions with 94 valid county resident signatures to make them official to appear on the November ballot.
Contested races in the upcoming May 22 preferential primary will include:
* — Incumbent, D — Democrat, R — Republican, I– Independent
Pike County Judge — Dewight Mack (D)* and Travis Branch (D)
County Clerk — Penny R. Lamb (D) and Randee Reid
Pike County Sheriff/Collector — Randy Lamb (D) and Travis Hill (D)
Pike County Sheriff/Collector — George “Boots” Donaldson (R) and Roger “Bimbo” Flemens (R)
Others qualified for election races include:
Pike County Judge: Keith Couch (I)
Circuit Clerk: Sabrina Williams (D)*
Assessor: Beckie Alden (D)*
Pike County Treasurer: Loletia Pate Rather (D)*
Pike County Sheriff/Collector: James Dwight Cogburn (I), Thomas O. Slatton (I)
Pike County Quorum Court J.P. 1: John Terrell (D)*
Pike County Quorum Court J.P. 2: Robbie Crocker (D)*
Pike County Quorum Court J.P. 3: Ricky Buck (D)*, Seth Kirkham (R)
Pike County Quorum Court J.P. 4: Leotis Snowden (D)
Pike County Quorum Court J.P. 5: Jerry Fendley (D)*
Pike County Quorum Court J.P. 6: Mike Putz (D)
Pike County Quorum Court J.P. 7: David Sirmon (R)*
Pike County Quorum Court J.P. 8: John J. Plyler, Jr. (R)*
Pike County Quorum Court J.P. 9: Paul S. Baker (D)*
Mountain Township Constable: Wade “Rambo” Coffman (D)*
Missouri Township Constable: Ricky Branch (D)*
Pike County Corner: Hannah Pate (D)
South Pike County School Board, Zone 4: Steve Conly (I)*
Kirby School Board Position 1: Darla Crump (I)*
Kirby School Board Position 2: Lori Fortner (I)*
One position, the Centerpoint School Board Zone 4, had no one qualify for the elections.
Candidates had the ability to run as an independent, which eliminates the filing fee, but in its place they must collect the 94 signatures on a petition to qualify for the ballot.
Those who qualify for the ballot as an independent will forgo the May 22 preferential primary, which is a political party function, and will appear on the ballot in the November 6, 2018 general election to compete against Republican or Democratic qualifiers, where applicable.
Those running as a Democrat or Republican paid a filing fee with the county party (1% of annual salary for the position) before officially qualifying at the Pike County Clerk’s office.
By new election law in Arkansas, those who qualify for a position but have no opposition are no longer required to be on a ballot during the election cycle.
For more information on the qualifying process, or to register to vote, please contact the Pike County Clerk’s office at (870) 285-2743.
Ballot draw March 8
Pike County will hold a ballot draw at the County Clerk’s office on Thursday, March 8 at 10 a.m.
The Pike County Democratic Party had the following members qualify for their 2019-2020 Central Committee, according to Chairman James O’Neal: Philip J. Alden, Rebecca L. Alden, Ricky Branch, Travis Branch, Diane Carroll, Algie Wade Coffman, Cleta Cooper, Robbie Crocker, Patsy Epperson, Priscilla Fugitt, John Gould, Patty Gould, Joan Hooper, Peggy Jordan, Anthony Kassos, Micaela Kassos, Betty O’Neal, James O’Neal, Betty L. Smith, Max Smith, Sabrina Williams, Charles M. Wilson, Cliff Womack and Donna Kay Yeargan.