Fort Smith Board candidate packets available

Candidate packets for the City of Fort Smith Board of Directors election are now available in the City Clerk’s Office, 623 Garrison Ave. This year, the four ward positions – Positions 1-4 – on the Fort Smith Board of Directors are up for election.

Act 328, passed in the 2023 Arkansas General Assembly, pushes the filing period to July 1 through noon Aug. 7 with director elections on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.

In the past, elections under the city administrator form of government, which Fort Smith is, were different from other forms of government, said Sherri Gard, Fort Smith city clerk. The filing period was in May. If more than two candidates filed for one position, a primary election was held in August. If no candidate had a clear majority in the primary, then the top two candidates would move onto the general election in November, essentially for the runoff.  If only two candidates filed, they automatically went to the general election.

Under the new law, in the city administrator form of government, candidates will fall in line with all other forms of government whereby the filing period is later in the year and no primary is held, Gard said. If no candidate obtains a clear majority, the top two candidates for the position will then go to the runoff election in December, which will be held on Dec. 3 this year.

The positions up for election this year are held by Jarred Rego, Ward 1 (serving his first term); André Good, Ward 2 (first elected to the board in 2008); Lavon Morton, Ward 3 (first appointed to the position in April 2019); and George Catsavis, Ward 4 (first elected in 2010).

Catsavis is the only of one of the four who has announced he is seeking reelection. Carl Nevin, Russ Bragg and Lee Kemp have announced they are running for the Ward 3 position.

Each position is for a four-year term beginning Jan. 1. Candidates must be at least 21 years of age, a resident of the city of Fort Smith for at least six months, registered to vote in Fort Smith, and reside within the ward in which he/she is a candidate. Candidates must file a statement of candidacy and submit a petition with the signatures of at least 50 registered Fort Smith voters. Statements of candidacy and petitions must be filed with the City of Fort Smith City Clerk within the filing period.

All qualified candidates will be placed on the 2024 general election ballot.

Link here for more information about the city’s board of directors.