Election Day: Local State House races tightly contested

Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. across state, county

By Ralph Hardin

news@theeveningtimes.com

Voters in Crittenden County will join with voters across Arkansas and in more than a dozen states in heading to the polls today.

The Arkansas Preferential Primary and Non-Partisan Judicial and School Elections will be held today. Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. A complete list of candidates and other election information can be found in the Crittenden County Election Commission’s Notice of Election beginning on Page 21, including the Democratic Primary, the Republican Primary and a slate of judicial and school board races, as well as polling sites.

While many races are uncontested in this election, two races that will help steer local and state politics for the next few years are being very highly sought after this year.

In 2023, both State Rep. Deborah Ferguson (D-West Memphis, AR-63) and State Rep.

Milton Nicks Jr. (D-Marion, AR-35) announced separately that nether would stand for reelection in 2024.

Nicks was the first of the two to say he would be leaving office. In July, Nicks, whose District 35 includes the northern part of Crittenden County and parts of Cross County, nnounced that he would not seek another term in the Arkansas House of Representatives.

The 72-year-old Democrat said at the time, “To the wonderful citizens of District 35, it has been my deepest honor and pleasure to serve as your State House of Representatives for five terms. I have enjoyed my interactions with local and state colleagues. I am most grateful for our hardworking communities. Without our collaborative teamwork and dedications, our many accomplishments would not have been possible.”

The Earle native and Marion resident has had a long career in public service even prior to entering politics. Nicks served as an Arkansas State Police officer He was also the owner and CEO of his own construction company and worked as the pastor of the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church.

“After much consideration, I have decided not to seek reelection for a sixth term as the Arkansas State Representative for District 35,” he said.

“Even though I have chosen to not seek re-election, I want you to know that I plan to

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give my position everything I can while I continue to serve out the remainder of my term.

Moreover, it is my hope and prayer that the next successor will have great potential along with the capacity to be an outstanding representative for you, District 35,” he said.

Two months later, Ferguson, whose District 63 includes southern Crittenden County and parts of St. Francis County, announced she would also not be seeking another term this year.

“After much thought and consideration, I have decided to officially announce that I do not plan to seek re-election as your State Representative,” Ferguson said in September.

“It has been my honor to serve in this position for over ten years. The people and leaders of Crittenden and St.

Francis counties have always been supportive and I will continue to serve until my term ends in January of 2025.”

Ferguson, a dentist by trade and wife to Dr. Scott Ferguson of West Memphis, was first elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2012. She was re-elected in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2020, largely unopposed in each vote.

During her tenure, Rep. Ferguson served on a number of House committees, most recently on the Insurance and Commerce Committee and the Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

“It is a blessing to live in the Delta where I grew up, married my college sweetheart, and raised three children,” said Ferguson. “We have great people and are strategically located for economic growth.

The progress over the past ten years has been remarkable.

This is a bittersweet time for me, but it is time for me to spend time with my family and attend to business at home,” said Ferguson. ”I am confident that you will elect an amazing person to replace me. Thank you all for your support and confidence in my leadership over the years. I could not have done it without you!”

In making their intentions known early, Both lawmakers left plenty of time for potential replacements to begin the process of filing for the soon-to-be-vavant seats.

And file they did.

In the Arkansas House District 63 seat, Republican Tammi Northcutt Bell is the lone candidate for the GOP nomination, ensuring she will be on the ballot in November.. There are, however, three Democrats from whom primary voters may choose: Hughes Mayor Lincoln Barnett, West Memphis businessman Fred Leonard, and West Memphis School Board member and Constable Billy Thomen.

The field is a little more crowded in the race to fill the Arkansas House District 35 seat, where there will be contested primaries for both parties.

On the Republican side, longtime political hopeful Gary Tobar and newcomer Quorum Court Justice of the Peace Robert Thorne Jr. will be contending for their party’s nomination, while a crowded field of candidates will be vying for votes for the Democrats.

Among the four candidates are a pair of political veterans, former Marion City Councilwoman, Sherry Holliman and Earle City Councilman Demetris Johnson Jr. They will be joined by Rayond Whiteside, who has recently taken up a leadership role in the Crittenden County Democratic party, and political newcomer Jessie McGruder, the head football coach at Wonder Junior High School in West Memphis.

If none of the candidates garner a majority of votes, a runoff election will be held next month between the top two candidates in their respective races. Ultimately, the primary winners in all of today’s races will face off against each other in the Nov. 5 elections.