Changes to the state election code allow annual school elections to be held during the May 22 preferential primaries and nonpartisan general election, multiplying the number of ballot styles that have to be programmed into voting machines and mailed to absentee voters.
The county's 11 school districts chose to hold their annual elections in May rather than during the general election in November. Ballots are required to list unopposed school board candidates. Three schools have no candidates, but their millage rates will be listed.
Garland County Election Commission Chairman Gene Haley said at Friday's ballot draw that county voters will be assigned one of 57 ballot styles when early voting begins May 7. The Democratic ballot, which features the race for governor as the only opposed partisan contest, will have 11 different variations.
Haley said the county has 35 Republican ballot styles and 11 nonpartisan ballot styles.
Another election law change removed unopposed partisan and nonpartisan candidates from the ballot, but unopposed candidates for mayor, circuit clerk and governor will be listed on the general election ballot and have their votes tabulated. Turnout in those races determines signature thresholds needed to get initiatives and referendums on future ballots.
Thursday was the deadline for the secretary of state to provide county election commissions with a certified list of candidates. County commissions have until Monday to draw for ballot positions, and March 23 is the deadline for county clerks to make applications for absentee ballots available.
April 23 is the voter registration deadline for the May elections. The following are the contested races with the candidates' names listed as they will appear on the ballot:
Governor
• Republican ballot -- Governor Asa Hutchinson, Jan Morgan.
• Democratic ballot -- Leticia Sanders, Jared K. Henderson
Secretary of State
• Republican ballot -- State Representative Trevor Drown, John Thurston Commissioner of State Lands.
House District 22
• Republican ballot -- Representative Mickey Gates, Don Pierce.
House District 26
• Republican ballot -- Representative Laurie Rushing, Ernie Hinz.
U.S. House District 4
• Republican ballot -- Representative Bruce Westerman, Randy Caldwell.
Hot Springs Township Constable
• Republican ballot -- Constable Scott Hecke, Constable Rich Pratchard, Jim Kerr.
Lake Hamilton Township Constable
• Republican ballot -- Robert Burks, Steve Thacker.
Justice of the Peace District 3
• Republican ballot -- Eric Capaci, George Pritchett.
Justice of the Peace District 10
• Republican ballot -- Jim Sorrells, Marcia Lieblong Albaugh.
Justice of the Peace District 12
• Republican ballot -- Richard McGrew, Jeremy W. Brown.
Garland County District Court Judge Division 1
• Nonpartisan ballot -- Joe Graham, Tamra Barrett.
State Supreme Court Associate Justice Position 3
• Nonpartisan ballot -- State Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson, Judge Kenneth Hixson, David Sterling.
Lake Hamilton School Board Position 53
Dr. Brian A. Peters, Don Smith.
Mountain Pine School Board Position 1
Robert A. Parker, Michael D. Palmer.
Jessieville School Board Position 5
Jay A. Davis, Terry Lee Anderson, Jr.
Benton School Board
Darren Adams, Chris Ledbetter.
Unopposed school board candidates
Jimmie Harbin -- Cutter Morning Star Position 4.
Lonell "Dino" Lenox -- Hot Springs Position 3.
Steve White -- Hot Springs Position 5.
Mark Braziel -- Lakeside Position 2.
Jarrod Hambric -- Benton Position 4.
Deana Cole -- Mount Ida Position 3.
Stacy Sigmon -- Mount Ida Position 4.
Unopposed partisan candidates not appearing on the ballot
Republicans
Leslie Rutledge -- attorney general (incumbent).
Andrea Lea -- state auditor (incumbent).
Tommy Land -- state land commissioner.
Tim Griffin -- lieutenant governor (incumbent).
Dennis Milligan -- state treasurer (incumbent).
Richard Womack -- House District 18 (incumbent).
Marcus E. Richmond -- House District 21 (incumbent).
Bruce Cozart -- House District 24 (incumbent).
Les A. Warren -- House District 25 (incumbent).
Bill Sample -- Senate District 14 (incumbent).
Shannon Sharp -- assessor (incumbent).
Jeannie Pike -- circuit clerk (incumbent).
William Henry (Bill) Carpenter -- Hale Township Constable (incumbent).
John McCaleb -- Whittington Township Constable (incumbent).
Stuart K. Smedley -- coroner (incumbent).
Sarah Smith -- county clerk (incumbent).
Darryl Mahoney -- county judge.
Michael McCormick -- sheriff (incumbent).
Rebecca Dodd-Talbert -- tax collector (incumbent).
Tim Stockdale -- treasurer (incumbent).
Jimmy Young -- District 4 Justice of the Peace (incumbent).
John Horner -- District 5 Justice of the Peace (incumbent).
John Paul Faulkner -- District 7 Justice of the Peace (incumbent).
Jason Braziel -- District 8 Justice of the Peace (incumbent).
Matt McKee -- District 9 Justice of the Peace (incumbent).
Ronald T. Hunter -- District 11 Justice of the Peace.
Larry Raney -- District 13 Justice of the Peace (incumbent).
Democrats
Hayden Catherine Shamel -- U.S. House District 4.
Mike Lee -- attorney general.
Larry Williams -- state land commissioner.
Anthony Bland -- lieutenant governor.
Susan Inman -- secretary of state.
Morgan L. Wiles -- House District 18.
Stele Wayne James -- House District 21.
Kevin Rogers -- House District 22.
Kallen K. Peret -- House District 24.
Alan Bruce Hughes -- House District 26.
Michael Colgrove -- Senate District 14.
Dave T. Reagan -- District 1 Justice of the Peace (incumbent).
Thomas J. Anderson -- District 2 Justice of the Peace (incumbent).
Esther M. Dixon -- District 3 Justice of the Peace.
Ray D. Stinson -- District 4 Justice of the Peace.
Dr. Nancy Hornstein -- District 5 Justice of the Peace.
Ray Owen Jr. -- District 6 Justice of the Peace (incumbent).
Courtney McKee -- District 9 Justice of the Peace.
Anne M. Showalter -- District 10 Justice of the Peace.
Linda Lampman Ragsdale -- District 11 Justice of the Peace.
Unopposed nonpartisan candidates not appearing on the ballot
Michelle C. Lawrence -- 18th East Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney (incumbent).
Local on 03/10/2018