The candidate filing period for next year's elections closed at noon on Tuesday, and 38 people signed up to run for various local offices.
State and federal candidates filed to run in Little Rock. Three candidates are running for House District 96, currently represented by Republican Sonia Barker. Horace Ray Charles and Robin G. Roark will vie for the Democratic nomination in March, and that contest's winner will go on to face Barker in the general election.
Rep. Matthew Shepherd, a Republican who announced earlier this year he will not seek Speakership of the Arkansas House again, filed to run to represent House District 97 again. He has one challenger, Democrat O'Dell Carr.
Locally, nine candidate filed to run for positions on the Union County Quorum Court, including some familiar faces and some newcomers. The candidates include:
- Justice of the Peace Mike Dumas, District 1, Democrat (incumbent)
- Greg Harrison, District 2, Republican
- David Taylor, District 3, Republican
- JP Steven Ward, District 4, Republican (incumbent)
- JP Carolyn Jones, District 5, Democrat (incumbent)
- Casey Wooten, District 7, Republican
- JP Benny Vestal, District 9, Republican (incumbent)
- JP Ross Burton, District 10, Republican (incumbent)
- JP Phillip Hamaker, District 11, Republican (incumbent)
Some newcomers are also running for the El Dorado City Council, where candidates include:
- David Hurst, Ward 1 Position 1, Republican (incumbent)
- Frank Hash, Ward 1 Position 2, Republican (incumbent)
- Jacarllus Hill, Ward 2 Position 1, Democrat
- Vance Williamson, Ward 2 Position 1, Republican (incumbent)
- Nathan Rainey, Ward 2 Position 2, Democrat
- Judy Ward, Ward 2 Position 2, Republican (incumbent)
- Willie McGhee, Ward 3 Position 1, Democrat (incumbent)
- Roy H. Bullock Sr., Ward 3 Position 2, Democrat (incumbent)
- Buddy McAdams, Ward 4 Position 1, Republican (incumbent)
- Dianne Hammond, Ward 4 Position 2, Republican (incumbent)
In Smackover, candidates who filed to run for City Council positions include:
- Mark Corley, Ward 1 Position 1, Republican (incumbent)
- Philip Childers, Ward 1 Position 2, Independent (incumbent)
- Chris Long, Ward 2 Position 2, Republican (incumbent)
- Paul A. Givens, Ward 3, Position 2, Democrat (incumbent)
Huttig had three candidates file for City Council positions:
- Cassundra Mitchell, Ward 1 Position 1, Democrat (incumbent)
- Laura A. Manning, Ward 2 Position 1, Democrat (incumbent)
- Dorothy L. May, Ward 3 Position 1, Democrat (incumbent)
Additionally, incumbent Recorder/Treasurer Rick East filed to run for that position in Smackover again.
Incumbent Junction City Council member Paul Enis, a Republican, filed to run for his Ward 2, Position 2 seat again as well. And John Williams, who currently sits on the Strong City Council, filed to run again for his Ward 2, Position 2 seat.
Two men also filed to run for Constable: Robert H. Pepper, of Junction City, whose political practices pledge form does not specify an area; and Jordan Braswell, who is running for Constable of Garner Township.
Wayne Gibson and Vicky Dobson, both current members of the El Dorado School Board, filed to run for their Zone 1 and Zone 6 seats, respectively, again next year. Donald Lynn Thomas III, Dustin L. Darden and Krisiti Purifoy filed to run for the Smackover-Norphlet School Board's, respectively, Zones 1, 3 and 7 seats. William A. Smith filed to run for a seat on the Parkers Chapel School Board. Incumbent Paul Kugler Jr. is also seeking his Zone 3 seat on the Junction City School Board again.
Other filings include 34 for the Union County Republican Committee and one for the Union County Democratic Committee.
Locally, the only contested races are those for representatives of El Dorado's Ward 2, where incumbents Judy Ward and Vance Williamson are set to face political newcomers Jacarllus Hill and Nathan Rainey.
Hill previously ran an unsuccessful bid for Ward's seat in 2022. Rainey has recently been involved with a new nonprofit, Parents United Against Youth Violence, after losing two sons to gun violence.
Next year's primary election is scheduled for March 5. Early voting will begin February 19. The general election will be held November 5, with early voting starting at October 21.
Union County uses a voting center model during elections, meaning any local, registered voter can cast their ballot at any polling place in the county.
The Union County Election Commission voted earlier this month to close three of El Dorado's four polling places, leaving only the Ward 4 location – the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium – open during the 2024 election. Felsenthal's sole polling place was also closed.