Tuesday marked the end of Arkansas’s candidate filing period, meaning the window has closed for candidates to file to run for local, state and federal offices.
Locally, several last minute filings have shaken up some races. Two new candidates have filed to run for Justice of the Peace positions on the Union County Quorum Court.
Gary New and Donnie Crawford both filed Tuesday for JP positions; New, an independent, for District 4, currently held by Dean Storey, and Crawford, a republican, for District 8, currently held by William Crowder. All 11 JP incumbents filed for re-election.
“Everybody always needs a challenger,” Crawford said. “I just want to help the County Judge and all the other JPs do the best job we can do for Union County. … You always want to be a helping hand.”
Several familiar faces have filed for positions on the El Dorado City Council, including former mayor Frank Hash and former council member Kensel Green (formerly Spivey).
“They kind of miss me up there a little bit,” Hash joked, noting that he has missed public service since losing reelection in 2018. “I was pretty active as mayor and this inactivity, being retired again – I prefer to be up regularly doing stuff. … I’d like to concentrate on issues in Ward 1, that I live in, see if I can help with some of those things.”
Hash will face incumbent council member Billy Blann for the Ward 1, Position 2 council seat in the February Republican primaries.
Green, a Democrat, previously served on the council representing Ward 3. After getting married and moving to Ward 4, she resigned from her position last June. Now she hopes to reenter public service. She and incumbent Dianne Hammond, a Republican, will face each other in next November’s general election.
“Being a part of City Council was something I always enjoyed – being a voice for my constituents and being able to advocate on behalf of individuals in the community,” Green said. “It’s not just about me, it’s about others as well, so that’s why I really made the decision to move forward.”
Patrick Frazier will run again for the Ward 4, Position 2 council seat currently held by Republican Paul Choate. Frazier ran unsuccessfully for the seat last year after former Council member Mary McAdams chose not to run for re-election.
In Strong, the race for the city’s Recorder/Treasurer is contested. Allison Howell is the incumbent seeking reelection; she will face Latasha Gatlin in the February Democratic primaries.
Newcomer Wanda L. Young was the only person to file for the Norphlet City Council. She is seeking the Ward 2, Position 1 seat.
“I feel it is my duty to serve my community that I have lived in for most of my 60 years. … I love my hometown and we have good people living here. I feel like it is my turn to do my part,” she said. “A big part of my platform for our community will be cleaning up our little town. There are several areas that I plan to personally do some clean up of and I want us to always put our best foot forward and show pride in our community.”
The El Dorado School District School Board could welcome new faces next year; Kenneth Clemons and Joseph Jay Burroff have both filed for Zone 2 positions on the Board. Incumbents Shaneil “PJ” Yarbrough and Keith Smith have both filed for re-election to the Zone 4 positions on the Board. Yarbrough is the Vice President of the Board currently.
Terri Dollar and Robbin Hogue both threw their hats into the ring for positions on the Strong-Huttig School Board. Current Board members Lakenya Riley and Freddy Baker, who is Vice President of the Board, both filed for re-election.
Caitlan Butler can be reached at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].