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Arkansas is bright red this morning. Check out the state and local election results here
Most results were collected from the Garland County Election Commission
With 51.67% voter turnout in Garland County, the unofficial results are in for the 2022 General Election.
This campaign season has been a doozy — as anyone even slightly involved with any campaign would say. (Disclaimer: I was hired as the videographer for the Beard [Dist. 2 Director candidate] and Reagan [JP Dist. 1 candidate] campaigns. As I write this article I am mindful of maintaining an objective perspective.)
It all started when the town got “Capaci-ed.” We all woke up one morning to orange signs decorating the streets. Unsure of whether or not to pronounce the new name running for mayor “Cup-ache-ee” or “Cap-ace-ee,” it nonetheless set the precedent for the race. (It’s Cap-ace-ee, by the way.) It was the cue to begin the hustle and bustle of the campaign season.
Capaci’s opponent, incumbent Pat McCabe, wasn’t seen until later along the campaign trail but happened to win by 676 votes.
McCabe will remain Mayor of Hot Springs.
Other races sticking out include the Warren-Robertson for State Representative. Les Warren (R) has held the position for five years. Michelle Gates Roberts (D) is brand new. Of the two, Warren won by a whopping 2,361 votes.
Another intriguing inquiry over the past few months would be who will be the new City Director of District 2?
Director Elaine Jones has held the position since 1999. Jones is the only person of color on the City Board of Directors, and her district contains the Pleasant Street Historic District, which surrounds the historic local African American community.
There were five opponents running for the position: George Pritchett, Cora Jones, Phyllis Beard, LeDante Walker Sr. and Doug Jones. Four of the five candidates are people of color. Concerns of this turning into a race race arose in the Black community.
In the end, Beard won by 96 votes against Pritchett.
And of course — last, but certainly not least — the Governor’s race.
The Governor of Arkansas is now Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R). Sanders is the first woman governor of the state.
Sanders's losing opponent Chris Jones (D) would have been the first Black governor of the state. Sanders won by a landslide, with 11,725 more votes than Jones in Garland County, and *252,152 more votes than Jones in the state.
The full list of results includes:
State
Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) for Governor
Incumbent John Boozman (R) for U.S. Senate
Incumbent Bruce Westerman (R) for U.S. Congress, District 4
Incumbent Leslie Rutledge (R) for Lieutenant Governor
Incumbent John Thurston (R) for Secretary of State
Incumbent Tim Griffin (R) for Attorney General
Incumbent Mark Lowery (R) for State Treasurer
Incumbent Dennis Milligan (R) for State Auditor
Incumbent Tommy Land (R) for Commissioner of State Lands
Incumbent Matt McKee (R) for State Senate District 06
Incumbent Alan Clark (R) for State Senate District 07
Incumbent Les Warren (R) for State Representative District 84
Incumbent Richard McGrew (R) for State Representative District 85
Incumbent Justin Gonzales (R) for State Representative District 89
Incumbent Richard Womack (R) for State Representative District 90
Incumbent Bruce Cozart (R) for State Representative District 91
Incumbent Robin Wynne for State Supreme Court 02 (Nonpartisan position)
Local
Incumbent Kristie Womble for Circuit Clerk
Micah Broughton (R) for Justice of the Peace District 1
Incumbent Jason Braziel (R) for Justice of the Peace District 08
Renee Westfall for National Park College Board of Trustees #3
Incumbent Jack C. Fields for Fountain Lake Mayor
Incumbent Pat McCabe for Hot Springs Mayor
Incumbent Malinda Henson for Mountain Pine Mayor
Phyllis Beard for Hot Springs District 2 Director
Dudley Webb III for Hot Springs District 4 Director
Incumbent Karen Garcia for Hot Springs District 5 Director
Vera Nevels for Mountain Pine Alderman Ward 1, Position 1
Jonathan Arnold for Mountain Pine Alderman Ward 2, Position 2
Chris Isom for Mountain Pine Alderman Ward 4, Position 1
Jeff McJunkins for Magent Cove School Board, Position 5
Incumbent Paul Childress for Benton School District Board
Incumbent Jonathan Woolbright for Benton School District Board
Issues
AGAINST Benton School Millage
AGAINST Issue 1
According to Ballotpedia, Issue 1 would have allowed the state legislature to call itself into extraordinary sessions upon (a) a joint proclamation from the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tempore or (b) upon a proclamation signed by two-thirds of the members in each chamber. Since it was voted against, all extraordinary sessions must be called by the governor.
AGAINST Issue 2
According to Ballotpedia, currently, ballot measures in Arkansas require a simple majority (50%+1) vote for approval. This amendment would have amended the state constitution to require a three-fifths 60% supermajority vote of approval from voters to adopt constitutional amendments (legislatively referred and citizen-initiated) and citizen-initiated state statutes. The supermajority requirement would not have applied to veto referendums, which were set to continue to require a simple majority (50%+1) vote for approval under the amendment.
**AGAINST Issue 3
According to Ballotpedia, the measure would amend the state constitution to provide that the government cannot burden a person’s freedom of religion— including burdens resulting from a rule of general applicability— except if the government demonstrates that the burden is necessary to further a compelling government interest using the least restrictive means of furthering that interest. The measure would allow a person to cite this amendment as a claim or defense in a judicial, administrative, or other proceeding to obtain relief against the government. ... Alison Gill, vice president of legal and policy matters at American Atheists, said ... "Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRAs) have been used to attack nondiscrimination protections, access to contraception and abortion, and even child labor laws." ... State Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R), the amendment’s sponsor in the House, said, "There may come a day when you wish you had these protections in the Arkansas Constitution."
AGAINST Issue 4
According to Ballotpedia, the measure would have legalized marijuana use for individuals 21 years of age and older and would have authorized the commercial sale of marijuana with sales to be taxed at 10%.