Sebastian County Election Commission chairman resigns

Sebastian County Election Commission Chairman David Damron, who refused in late 2021 to discuss who drew a map outlining new zones for the Sebastian County Quorum Court, resigned his position at an election commission meeting Monday (Jan. 10).

After approving precincts that fall within newly mapped quorum court districts, approved at the Nov. 17 commission meeting, and discussion of closing some lightly used voting precincts, of which no action was taken, Damron announced he would no longer be serving on the commission.

“I have informed the chairman of the Sebastian County Republican Committee that I am no longer serving after today. So I will resign as chairman of the commission effective immediately. I will turn the meeting over to the vice chairman and wish y’all the best,” Damron said as the meeting drew to a close.

Damron said he felt it was time to bring his tenure on the commission to an end.

“It has been very interesting. I have learned an awful lot, and hopefully in some small way, I have been able to benefit the taxpayers of Sebastian County,” Damron said. “It has been very educational.”

Commissioner Cara Gene (Republican)  is the vice chairman and will serve as chairman of the commission, and the Sebastian County Republican Committee will appoint a new commissioner. Since the Republican Party is the majority party in the county, it sends two representatives to the commission, said Sebastian County Election Coordinator Meghan Hassler. Democrat Lee Webb also serves as a commissioner.

The now-approved Quorum Court map was discussed at the Sebastian County Election Commission meeting Nov. 9. At the time no one admitted to who drew the map, and Damron refused to clarify who drew the proposed map. When questioned by Webb at the Nov. 9 meeting about how the map was created, Damron would not say at the meeting who drew the map.