County Contests Line Northeast Arkansas Ballot 

While attention has been paid this year to the United States Senate and Governor races, the ballot in Northeast Arkansas will be filled with county contests.

Craighead County has 10 county races on the ballot, while its neighbors to the north in Greene County have 15 contested races.

Voters in Jackson County will decide eight county races, while there are also contested county races in Cross, Independence, Mississippi, Poinsett, Randolph and Sharp counties.

The turnout boost from these county races combined with the high number of legislative contests and mayoral elections in the region adds more proof to the notion that Northeast Arkansas will be a battleground for the bigger races this fall.

The following is a look at some of the contested races:

CRAIGHEAD COUNTY
In Craighead County, voters will decide six countywide races Nov. 4.

Republican Wes Ward is challenging incumbent Democrat Ed Hill for the county judge’s seat, while incumbent Republican Kade Holliday is facing Democrat Nancy Robbins for county clerk.

Democratic incumbents Marty Boyd and Marsha Phillips are seeking another term as sheriff and collector respectively with Republicans Larry Kelley and Timothy Simmons running against Boyd and Phillips.

There are also two open races on the ballot in Craighead County.

Republican Candace Edwards and Democrat Ashley Broadaway are running for circuit clerk, with the winner replacing longtime Democratic incumbent Ann Hudson, who is retiring.

Republican Hannah Holloway-Towell and Democrat Toni Oden are seeking the county assessor’s office this fall. The winner will replace Democrat Eddie Thomas, who is not seeking another term.

GREENE COUNTY
There are five countywide races on the ballot in Greene County this year.

Republican challenger Rusty McMillon and Democratic incumbent Jerry Shipman will face off for the county judge’s post, while Republican Phyllis Rhynes and Democrat Dana Bradford are running for county clerk.

The winner of the county clerk’s race will replace Democrat Linda Heritage, who is not seeking another term.

Three Democratic incumbents are also seeking re-election this year – Democrat Sheriff Dan Langston, who will face Republican David Carter; Democrat Collector Cathy “CJ” Hays, who will face Republican Gina Wells; and Democrat Assessor Diane Simons, who will face Republican Tamara Caldwell this fall.

REGIONAL LOOK
There are two countywide races each in Jackson and Poinsett counties.

In Jackson County, Republican Charla Hill is facing Democrat incumbent Jamie Cason for the treasurer’s job while Democrat Diann Ballard and Republican Brian Patterson are running for assessor.

Poinsett County will have a new county judge and a new county clerk in January.

Republican Ron Allison and Democrat Bob Cantrell are seeking the county judge’s job, with the winner replacing Democrat Charles Nix, who is not running again.

Republican Teresa Rouse and Democrat Joshua Bradley are running for county clerk. The winner of that race will replace Democrat Fonda Condra, who did not seek another term.

To the south in Cross County, the only countywide race is for County Judge.

Republican Jack Caubble is seeking another term and will face Democrat Donnie Sanders.

Also, Republican Phillip Hood is challenging independent County Judge Larry Brown for the county judge seat in Sharp County.

OTHER RACES
The following are a list of other county races on the ballot:

CRAIGHEAD COUNTY
• Justice of the Peace, District 4 – Republican Billie Sue Hoggard and Democrat Kenny Hendrix.
• Justice of the Peace, District 7 – Republican Richard Rogers and Democrat Robert “Bob” Langford.
• Justice of the Peace, District 10 – Republican Steve Cline and Democratic incumbent Mike Hawkins.
• Justice of the Peace, District 11 – Republican Garry Meadows and Democratic incumbent Bob Blankenship.

CROSS COUNTY
• Justice of the Peace, District 6 – Republican Kevin Jumper and independent Michael Hess.
• Justice of the Peace, District 8 – Democrat Howard C. Smith and independents Jerry Brewster and Mike Davis.
• Justice of the Peace, District 9 – Democrat James Davis and independent Bobby D. Johnson.

GREENE COUNTY
• Justice of the Peace, District 1 – Republican Dustin Rumsey and Democrat Thomas McCracken.
• Justice of the Peace, District 2 – Republican Donald Hardin and Democrat Barry Bateman.
• Justice of the Peace, District 3 – Republican Mark Wilbur and Democrat Britt Camp.
• Justice of the Peace, District 4 – Republican Jonathon Davis and Democrat Darryl Brotemarkle.
• Justice of the Peace, District 5 – Republican Tommy Grooms and Democrat Charles Hinson.
• Justice of the Peace, District 6 – Republican Scott Sharp and Democrat Don Lambert.
• Justice of the Peace, District 8 – Republican Ronnie Banning and Democrat Dean Wooldridge.
• Justice of the Peace, District 9 – Republican Jerry Brown and Democrat Mikie Chipman.
• Justice of the Peace, District 10 – Republican Randy Littleton and Democrat Billy Lovelady.
• Justice of the Peace, District 11 – Republican Jonathan Barr and Democrat Phillip Keating.

INDEPENDENCE COUNTY
• Justice of the Peace, District 3 – Republican Brent Henderson and Democrat Howard L. Carpenter.
• Justice of the Peace, District 4 – Republican Brad Covington and Democrat Ron Webb.
• Justice of the Peace, District 6 – Republican Tammy Pearce and Democrat Randel Davis.

JACKSON COUNTY
• Justice of the Peace, District 1 – Republican Erica Hurst and Democrat Tim Higgins.
• Justice of the Peace, District 2 – Republican Kenny Miller and Democrat Tommy Young.
• Justice of the Peace, District 3 – Republican Mathew Pyle and Democrat David Howard.
• Justice of the Peace, District 5 – Republican Clay Young and Democrat Allen Edwards.
• Justice of the Peace, District 6 – Republican Gregory Anselmi and Democrat Robert Harris.
• Justice of the Peace, District 7 – Republican Alice James and Democrat Jerry W. Mann.

MISSISSIPPI COUNTY
• Justice of the Peace, District 8 – Republican Ricky Ash and Democrat Emma Jackson.

POINSETT COUNTY
• Justice of the Peace, District 8 – Democrat Jeff Jones and independent David Woods.

RANDOLPH COUNTY
• County Clerk – Republican Rhonda Blevins and Democrat Vicky Powers.
• Justice of the Peace, District 9 – Independent James Ward and Democrat Gary Bibb.

SHARP COUNTY
• Coroner – Democrat Doug Wortham and independent Nathan W. Circle.
• Justice of the Peace, District 7 – Democrat Buell Wilkes and independents Bart Schulz and Deloy Moody.