Anyone wanting to pick up a petition to appear on the ballot for the Alexander municipal elections, or file a petition, can do so at the Saline County Clerk's Office in Benton from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM on Monday and Tuesday. You can still pick up a petition on Wednesday but the deadline to file is 12:00 Noon.
Appearing on the ballot this time around will be the eight seats on the Alexander City Council, the city recorder and the city treasurer. Council members serve two-year terms while the terms for recorder and treasurer are four-years.
So, how did Alexander end up with the current list of incumbents? Let's start with the longest serving member on the city council, Council Member Juanita Wilson.
It was a rocky start for Wilson who won an election, lost a re-election, then came back to be elected again and hasn't lost an election since. Wilson first defeated Council Member Andy Mullins in the 2012 election. Then, in 2014, Mullins defeated Wilson 219 to 209. In the 2016 election Wilson defeated Mullins 318 to 245. She was then unopposed, along with the rest of the council members, in 2018 and 2020. In 2022 Wilson was opposed by someone new to Alexander elections, April Cotton. Wilson defeated Cotton 271 to 250. So far, neither Wilson or anyone else has filed for the Ward-4; Pos-2 seat.
In the 2016 election more new council members were added. Current Council Member Joe Pollard defeated incumbent Louis Hobbs, 355 to 206. Another incumbent, Stephanie Beck, was defeated by Joy Gray, 310 to 244. Finally, Current Council Member Harold Timmerman defeated incumbent Andrea Bearden in a run-off election, 86 to 33. All three of these new council members, along with Wilson, will go unchallenged in the 2018 and 2020 elections.
In the 2022 election it was a mix of opposed and unopposed incumbents. Four candidates for city council were unopposed, three current members and one new face. Council Member Joe Pollard, Council Member Joy Gray and Council Member Harold Timmerman were all unopposed. Political newcomer Tony Staton was also unopposed for the Ward-3; Position-2 seat. At the time it was held by Council Member Dan Church who did not seek re-election.
Three sitting council members did have opposition in the 2022 election. Only one was undefeated. Council Member Lonny Chapman was defeated by political new-comer Gina Thomas Littlejohn, 312 to 200. Council Member Jeffery Watson was defeated by another new face in Alexander politics Angela Griffin, 335 to 175. As stated above, Council Member Juanita Wilson defeated April Cotton 271 to 250.
That leaves one seat unaccounted for. In 2022 no one ran for the Ward-1; Position-1 seat including the sitting Council Member Elizabeth Bland. In early 2023 the council declared the position vacant and appointed Mitchell W. Smith to the council.
That leaves the Alexander City Council with the following members.
(Ward-1; Pos-1)
(Ward-1; Pos-2)
(Ward-2; Pos-1)
(Ward-2; Pos-2)
(Ward-3; Pos-1)
(Ward-3; Pos-2)
(Ward-4; Pos-1)
(Ward-4; Pos-2)
The other two offices to appear on the ballot are city recorder and city treasurer. To file for these two positions you must live in the city limits of Alexander and be a registered voter.
Sharon Bankhead has served as the city recorder since early 2013. The office of city treasurer is vacant. Former City Treasurer JoAn Churchill resigned effective December 31, 2023. No one has filed for city recorder or city treasurer.
So far only three petitions have been submitted for seats on the city council. Council Member Harold Timmerman submitted his petition to retain his Ward-3 Position-1 seat. Daniel L. Bates filed a petition for the same Ward-3 Position-1 seat. Amy Lyons has filed for the Ward-3 Position-2 seat, currently held by Council Member Tony Staton.
Council Member Gina R Thomas-Littlejohn (Ward-2; Pos-2) is running as a Democrat for representative in the Arkansas State House. Under state law she can not run for, or serve in, two elected positions. Therefore she is not seeking re-election to the Alexander City Council.
Petitions can still be picked up before the filing deadline, 12:00 Noon on Wednesday, August 7. To run for a position on the city council you must be a registered voter and file your petition based on the ward you live in and either position one or two, depending on which incumbent you want to unseat. Council members serve two-year terms. See the map below to find your ward.
Residents living in both the Pulaski and Saline county portions of Alexander may pick up petitions at the Saline County Clerk's office; 215 North Main Street, Suite 9; Benton, Arkansas. Offices are open 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. For more information call 501-303-5630.
Petitions for the offices of city council member, city recorder and city treasurer can be picked up or returned to the County Clerk's Office on Monday, August 5 and Tuesday, August 6 from 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Petitions can also be picked up before 12:00 Noon on Wednesday, August 7. The deadline to return all petitions for all municipal offices is Noon on Wednesday, August 7.
No comments:
Post a Comment