More than 4,800 voters cast ballots during early voting for today's primary runoff election in which there are contested races for three legislative seats and various county offices, mayor and school board posts in 19 of the state's 75 counties.
Based on records released by the secretary of state's office Monday afternoon, the largest number of early votes had been cast in Jefferson, Pope, Hempstead and Crittenden counties.
Voters who cast ballots in the March 5 primary must vote in the same party in the runoff under state law. Voters who didn't vote in the March 5 primary may vote in either primary in the runoff.
According to the secretary of state's office Monday afternoon, about 1,600 voters had cast ballots during early voting for today's runoff in Jefferson County. In Jefferson County's Democratic runoff, state Rep. Vivian Flowers seeks to oust Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington and William Fells is challenging incumbent Glen Brown Sr. for Ward 3, Position 1 on the Pine Bluff City Council.
About 660 voters had cast ballots Monday during early voting for today's runoff in Pope County, according to the secretary of state's office. The race for the Russellville School Board position between Joe Sitkowski and Tracey Reinhart -- a seat currently held by Jeremy Keaster -- is driving early voting in the county, Pope County Clerk Pam Ennis said. Keaster isn't seeking re-election.
The secretary of state's office said about 580 voters had cast ballots during early voting for today's runoff in Hempstead County. All of Hempstead County is included in House District 80, where Dolly Henley of Washington and Arnette Bradford of Hope are vying in a runoff for the Republican nomination for the House seat currently held by state Rep. Danny Watson, R-Hope, who isn't seeking re-election.
Parts of Howard and Miller counties are part of House District 88. About 390 voters had cast ballots during early voting for today's runoff in Howard County, the secretary of state's office said Monday afternoon.
The winner of today's Republican runoff in House District 88 will take on Libertarian candidate Tammy Goodwin of Saratoga in the Nov. 5 general election.
Bradford is backed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Watson, the Arkansas Federation for Children Action Fund and the National Rifle Association. Henley is supported by Sen. Jimmy Hickey, R-Texarkana; and Reps. Carol Dalby, R-Texarkana; DeAnn Vaught, R-Horatio; and former Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is Sanders' father.
In the primary, Bradford received 1,438 votes, compared with Henley's 1,375 and Robert Bradford's 231, according to the secretary of state's office.
In recent weeks, Henley has decried mailers and texts that she said are from dark money out-of-state groups that suggest she is a Democrat. Bradford has distanced herself from the mailers and texts, saying she had nothing to do with them.
Last week, Hickey charged that a senior staffer in Sanders' office told Watson he would get an appointment on the state Post-Prison Transfer Board if Watson found a replacement for himself in the House that the governor's office would approve of and "if they did not have to fund a lot of money into this (Southwest) Arkansas race." Watson disputed Hickey's allegation.
Sanders spokesperson Alexa Henning said last week that Watson "made it clear to this administration as well as the last that he is interested in an appointment to the Post-Prison Transfer Board, but he is not eligible to be considered as a member of the Legislature and no appointment was ever promised to him."
Henley, who is retired, has served as recreation director for the city of Hope, parks and recreation director for the city of Nashville, advancement director at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana, executive director for the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana Foundation and director of Hempstead Hall at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana.
Her husband, Paul Henley, is mayor of Washington.
Bradford is the owner of Hebrews 11:1 coffee shop, which is in Hope and Nashville. In January 2023, Sanders appointed her to the state's Black History Commission. Her husband is a lineman for Hope Water and Light.
According to the secretary of state's office, about 500 voters had cast ballots in early votes in today's runoff in Crittenden County.
Marion Democrats Jessie McGruder and Raymond Whiteside are vying for their party's nomination in the runoff in House District 35, which includes parts of Crittenden and Cross counties. State Rep. Milton Nicks, D-Marion, currently represents House District 35 but is not seeking reelection.
McGruder is a teacher and football, basketball and track coach at Wonder Junior High School in the West Memphis School District. Whiteside is a community development specialist from West Memphis. He has worked as a teacher as well as a reporter, photographer and copy editor and is a former chairman of the Crittenden County Democratic Party.
In the March 5 Democratic primary in House District 35, McGruder garnered 632 votes compared with Whiteside's 321 votes, Demetrius Johnson Jr.'s 208 votes and Sherry Holliman's 192 votes, according to the secretary of state's office.
The winner of the Democratic runoff in House District 35 will vie in the general election with the Republican nominee, landscaper and cattleman Robert Thorne Jr. of Marion, who serves on the Crittenden County Quorum Court.
Democrats Lincoln Barnett and Fred Leonard seek their party's nomination in today's runoff in House District 63, which includes portions of Crittenden and St. Francis counties.
Barnett has served as mayor of Hughes since 2019. Leonard is an insurance agent from West Memphis. State Rep. Deborah Ferguson, D-West Memphis, currently represents House District 63 but is not seeking re-election.
In the March 5 primary, Barnett received 837 votes compared to Leonard's 729 votes and Billy Thomen's 160 votes, according to the secretary of state's office.
The winner of the House District 63 Democratic runoff will vie with Republican Tammi Bell of West Memphis in November.