Early voting begins 2016 presidential election cycle in Arkansas

Voters around the state head to the polls Tuesday, starting a 10-month campaign season with hundreds of races on the ballot. Early voting begins Tuesday (Feb. 16) around the state, with federal, state, county, city and judicial races on the ballot.

The presidential primary on March 1 features 13 Republicans and six Democrats on the ballot. However, only six Republicans – Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio, former Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov. John Kasich and Ben Carson – remain in the race.

As for the Democrats, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders are the major candidates with John Wolfe, Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente, James Valentine and former Gov. Martin O’Malley also on the ballot.

Republicans will decide nominees for the United States Senate between incumbent U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., and challenger and Curtis Coleman, and the U.S. House in the 2nd District between incumbent U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, and challenger and Brock Olree.

Also, there are two Supreme Court races on the ballot – Chief Justice, which features Associate Justice Courtney Goodson and Circuit Judge Dan Kemp; and Position 5, which features Circuit Judge Shawn Womack and attorney Clark Mason.

According to Arkansas Code 7-1-108, early voting goes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. This year, early voting will go from Feb. 16-20, Feb. 22-27 and will end at 5 p.m. Feb. 29.

VOTER TURNOUT
Key primary races have some election officials estimating high voter turnout. For example, Craighead County Clerk Kade Holliday said Monday he expects about half of the county’s 56,496 registered voters in Craighead County to mark ballots in this year’s primary March 1.

Holliday said he expects most of the political action in his county to be in the Republican primary. In addition to the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries and a U.S. Senate Republican primary, voters in Craighead County will decide the Republican nominee for County Judge between Jeff Presley and Garry Meadows. The winner of that race will face incumbent Democrat Ed Hill in the fall.

Numbers from the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office have shown a reduction in primary voter turnout in recent cycles. In 2008, 544,170 of the state’s 1.57 million registered voters (35%) went to the polls during the primary in February – 314,234 voted in the Democratic primary while 229,153 voted in the Republican primary with the rest casting non-partisan ballots.

In 2012, 335,885 of the state’s 1.53 million registered voters (22%) went to the polls during a primary in May – 162,647 voted in the Democratic primary while 152,360 voted in the Republican primary with the rest casting non-partisan ballots.

Voter turnout has improved for the general election, especially in the past two presidential elections. In 2008, 1.08 million (64.5%) of the state’s 1.68 million registered voters cast ballots while 1.07 million (66.6%) of the state’s 1.61 million registered voters voted in 2012.

TOP CONTESTED PRIMARY RACES
• Federal
President of the United States (Republican) – Sen. Rand Paul, Former Gov. Bobby Jindal, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Former Sen. Rick Santorum, Carly Fiorina, Donald J. Trump, Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio, Gov. John Kasich, Former Gov. Jeb Bush, Former Gov. Mike Huckabee and Ben Carson.

President of the United States (Democratic) – John Wolfe, Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente, James Valentine, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Former Gov. Martin O’Malley and Sen. Bernie Sanders.

United States Senate (Republican) – Sen. John Boozman and Curtis Coleman. The winner will face Democrat Conner Eldridge, Libertarian Frank Gilbert and write-in Jason Tate.

United States House, 2nd District (Republican) – Rep. French Hill and Brock Olree. The winner will face Democrat Dianne Curry, Libertarian Chris Hayes and write-ins Charles Neely and Matthew Wescott.

• Judicial
Arkansas Supreme Court, Chief Justice – Associate Justice Courtney Goodson and Circuit Judge Dan Kemp.

Arkansas Supreme Court, Position 5 – Circuit Judge Shawn Womack and Clark Mason.

Arkansas Court of Appeals, District 2, Position 2 – Circuit Judge Mike Murphy and Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland.

Arkansas Court of Appeals, District 5 – James McMenis, Mark Klappenbach and Job Serebrov.

• Arkansas Legislature-House of Representatives (with county and party affiliation in parenthesis)
District 1 (Miller) (Republican) – Carol Dalby and Rusty Latham.

District 7 (Ashley and Drew) (Democrat) – Former Rep. Garry Smith and Floyd Thomas Jr. The winner will face Republican Sonia Eubanks Barker and independent Glenn Glover.

District 11 (Chicot, Ashley and Desha) (Democrat) – Rep. Mark McElroy and Bob Ware.

District 25 (Garland) (Republican) – Richard Alvin Midkiff and Les Warren. The winner will face Democrat Jerry M. Rephan in the fall.

District 27 (Pulaski and Saline) (Republican) – Former Reps. Mike Creekmore and Andy Mayberry. The winner will face Democrat Melissa Fults in the fall.

District 30 (Pulaski) (Democrat) – Rep. Charles Armstrong and former Rep. Fred Allen.

District 38 (Pulaski) (Democrat) – Victoria Leigh and Kent Walker. The winner will face Republican Carlton Wing in the fall.

District 54 (Mississippi and Poinsett) (Republican) – Former Rep. Wes Wagner and Poinsett County Assessor Johnny Rye Jr. The winner will face Democrat Hunter Williams in the fall.

District 57 (Greene) (Republican) – Jimmy Gazaway, Ronnie C. Spence and Shawn Strouss. The winner will face Democrat Frankie Gilliam in the fall.

District 63 (Independence) (Republican) – Rep. James Sturch and Phillip Finch.
District 66 (Cleburne, Faulkner and Van Buren) (Republican) – Rep. Josh Miller and Chris L. Steplock.

District 81 (Crawford and Washington) (Republican) – Bruce Coleman and Derek Goodlin. The winner will face Democrat Susan McGaughey in the fall.

District 88 (Washington) (Republican) – Isaac Foley, Phillip Humbard and Clint Penzo.

District 89 (Washington) (Republican) – Jeff Williams and Charles Gaines. The winner will face Democrat Irvin Camacho in the fall.

District 90 (Benton) (Republican) – Rep. Jana Della Rosa, Former Rep. Randy Alexander and Jana Starr.

District 94 (Benton) (Republican) – Rep. Rebecca Petty and Former Rep. Debra Hobbs. The winner will face Democrat Grimsley Graham in the fall.

District 95 (Benton) (Republican) – Rep. Sue Scott and Austin McCollum. The winner will face Libertarian Grant Brand in the fall.

District 98 (Boone and Carroll) (Republican) – Rep. Ron McNair and John Arthur Hammerschmidt.

District 99 (Baxter, Boone, Marion and Searcy) (Republican) – Bruce Emerson and Jack Fortner.

• Arkansas Legislature-Senate (with county and party affiliation in parenthesis)
District 7 (Washington) (Republican) – Rep. Lance Eads and Sharon Lloyd.

District 29 (Faulkner, Lonoke, Prairie and White) (Republican) – Sen. Eddie Joe Williams and R.D. Hopper.

District 34 (Pulaski) (Republican) – Sen. Jane English and Rep. Donnie Copeland. The winner will face Democrat Joe Woodson in the fall.