The City Wire Special Section: The Political Wire

Today (Mar. 18), The City Wire launches a special section devoted to providing readers quick access to the latest political stories related to what has become a dynamic mid-term election at national, state and local levels.

The City Wire Political Report will provide quick access to recent political news and will provide info on the races we think will have the most impact on the future political leadership of the state and region.

Stories found in the special section will include the original reporting that is typically a day or two ahead of most traditional media outlets, and also will feature special reports from widely read business and political journalist Roby Brock. Brock, who recently partnered with other Little Rock-based journalists to launch The Arkansas Election Line, also produces a quarterly political poll that often is weeks ahead of traditional polling reports.

“Our goal is to deliver political news we think matters to the discerning voters who look for something more than soundbites and hollow campaign pledges and rhetoric,” said Tom Kirkham, publisher and co-owner of The City Wire. “More so than in past cycles, this election period comes with a lot of background noise and attempts by extremists from the political spectrums to push propaganda that often has little bearing on what is important to Arkansans or the socio-economic development of this region.”

Most of The City Wire Political Report is complete, but information will soon be added on the Quorum Court races in Crawford and Sebastian Counties. Also, the filing period for the municipal races in Fort Smith and Van Buren are scheduled for May and August, respectively. Other information to be added will include more detail on statewide ballot initiatives approved for the November general election.

The special section of The City Wire will also be a place readers can watch on election nights to keep track of results in the key races monitored.

Key dates in the upcoming election cycle include:
• May 18: preferential primary election
• June 8: preferential primary election (runoff)
• July 2: deadline to file petitions with the Secretary of State to place an initiated measure on the general election ballot
• Aug. 10: primary election for Fort Smith municipal races
• Nov. 2: general election
• Nov. 23: general election (runoff)

The Political Wire will focus on the following races in Arkansas:
• FEDERAL
U.S. Senate
3rd Congressional District

• ARKANSAS (Constitutional offices)
Governor
Lt. Gov.
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Treasurer
Land Commissioner
Auditor

• ARKANSAS (Races for legislative districts in the Fort Smith metro)
Senate District 6
Senate District 13
House District 62
House District 63
House District 64
House District 65
House District 66
House District 67
House District 83
House District 84
House District 87

• COUNTY
Crawford
Crawford County Judge
Crawford County Clerk
Crawford County Circuit Clerk
Crawford County Treasurer
Crawford County Sheriff
Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney
Crawford County Tax Collector

Sebastian
Sebastian County Judge
Sebastian County Clerk
Sebastian County Circuit Clerk
Sebastian County Treasurer
Sebastian County Sheriff
Sebastian County Assessor
Sebastian County Prosecuting Attorney

• MUNICIPAL
Van Buren Mayor
Van Buren City Council (all positions)

Fort Smith Mayor
Fort Smith Board of Directors (4 positions)

• BALLOT ITEMS
Local (if necessary)
Arkansas (items referred by citizens and by the Arkansas General Assembly)