Runoff today for pair of State House Democratic nominations

McGruder-Whiteside, Barnett-Leonard races to be decided in vote, polls open until 7:30 p.m.

By Ralph Hardin

news@theeveningtimes.com Four contenders, but only two can advance to the November vote as the Democratic Party’s candidate to face their Republican opponent for one of two vacant Arkansasa House of Representative seats up for grabs. From left: Jessie Mc-Gruder and Raymond Whiteside are in a runoff for the District 35 seat, while Lincoln Barnett and Fred Leonard are vying for the nomination in the District 63 race. The runoff will be decided tonight following a week of early voting.

Local voters alreadty know who will be on the Republican side of the races to replace State Rep. Milton Nicks and State Rep. Deborah Ferguson in the Arkansas House of Representatives on Nov. 5.

Robert Thorne Jr. will be the GOP candidate in House District 35. Tammi Bell will be the candidate in district 63.

As for their opponents on the Democratic side of the ballot, that has yet to be decided. To fill in those blanks, the Crittenden County Election Commission is holding a pair of runoff races, since no candidate in the March 5 Democratic Primary for either of those seats garnered a majority of the votes. The 2024 Preferential Primary Run-Off will be held today after a week of early voting. Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Polls will be open at the following locations:

• 7th Street Church of Christ, 899 N 7th Street, West Memphis • First Baptist West Memphis, 200 N Missouri Street, West Memphis

• West Memphis High School Arena, 501 WBroadway, West Memphis

• LR Jackson Girls Club, 405 S 25th Street, West Memphis

• Calvary Baptist Church, 1600 N Avalon, West Memphis • Roberta Jackson Neighborhood Center, 1300 E Polk Avenue, West Memphis

• West Memphis Civic Center, 228 W Polk Avenue, West Memphis

• Tabernacle of God Church, 1714 AR Hwy 77, Marion

• Marion Junior High Arena, 1 Patriot Drive, Marion

• Marion Church of God, 1747 Hwy 64, Marion

• Anthonyville City Hall, 149 Luke Anthony Street, Anthonyville • Edmondson City Hall, 54 Waterford Street, Edmondson

• Horseshoe Lake City Hall, 174 Highland Drive, Horseshoe Lake

See VOTE, page A3

File photos

From page A1

• Crawfordsville Fire Department, 5503 Main Street, Crawfordsville

• St. Luke Baptist Church, 520 Arkansas Street, Earle

• Gilmore Fire Department, 97 Front Street, Gilmore

• Turrell Fire Department, 1084 Third Street, Turrell

• Jericho City Hall, 31 Wallace Avenue, Jericho

Other election events of note

• Ballot Canvassing & Counting — Canvassing and counting of Absentee Ballots will be April 2, at 10 a.m. at the West Memphis Civic Center.

• Compiling and publishing of Election Results will be on April 2, beginning at 7:30 p.m., also at the West Memphis Civic Center.

• Duplication and counting of Election Day ballots, April 2, 7:30 p.m., West Memphis Civic Center.

• Provisional Ballot Hearings, if necessary, will be April 8, at noon, at the County Annex Building. Final Review and Counting of Provisional Ballots, will also be April 8, noon, County Annex Building.

• The Post-Election Audit will be April 11, 10 a.m. to completion, County Annex Building. Certification of Election will be April 11, 10:30 a.m. to ccmpletion, County Annex Building.

• Certification of Election will be April 12, 10:30 a.m. to ccmpletion, County Annex Building.

Democratic Primary Runoff

• Raymond Whiteside

• Jessie McGruder

State Representative District 63

• Mayor Lincoln Barnett

•Fred Leonard A copy of this Notice of Election may be found in any online edition of the Times.