School election results certified

EL DORADO — The Union County Election Commission certified Thursday the results of the county-wide school elections that were held earlier this week and discussed an upcoming runoff election for two school board candidates.

Voters in Parkers Chapel will return to the polls on Oct. 11 to decide in the run-off between Emily K. Carelock and Howard Skinner, who are vying for the District 35 seat on the Parkers Chapel School Board.

Early voting will begin on Oct. 4 in the Union County Clerk’s Office. Voters may cast their ballots from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on weekdays.

The polling site for election day will be the Parkers Chapel school gym, 401 Parkers Chapel Road.

Carelock and Skinner, the incumbent and board vice-president, were the front-runners in a threeway race with Chris Porter in elections that were held Tuesday.

Of 223 ballots that were cast in the race, Skinner led with 97 votes, or 43.5 percent.

Carelock followed closely with 92 votes, 41.3. percent.

Thirty-four voters, 15.3 percent, favored Porter.

The unofficial tally at night’s end showed that neither Carelock nor Skinner had secured the required majority of votes — 50 percent, plus one vote — for a clear-cut win.

Winners in other school board races that were held around the county were:

• Renee Skinner, Zone 3; Susan Turbeville, Zone 5; and Todd Whatley, Zone 7, El Dorado School District.

• LaKenya Riley, Zone 2, Strong-Huttig School District.

• Cliff Preston, Zone 4, Smackover-Norphlet School Board.

• Bobby E. Bryan, Zone 4, Junction City School Board.

With the exception of Parkers Chapel and Strong-Huttig, the candidates ran unopposed in each race.

Additionally, all of the candidates in races that were decided Tuesday were incumbents who retained their seats.

School millages were also on the ballot, though none of the districts had asked voters for an increase.

In Junction City, the vote was two to one against the existing 40.9 millage, but the amount will not change as a result of the election.

Union County Deputy Clerk Yancey Kyle said state law mandates that the millages appear on the ballot during school elections.

“If they’re not asking for an increase, it doesn’t change. It reverts back to whatever it was the day before,” Kyle said.

Election commissioners said Thursday there were no outstanding ballots — provisional or absentee — cast during the election.

After commissioners certified the results, County

Clerk Shannon Phillips said she would need to send a copy to the Arkansas Department of Education.

Commissioners said voting machines for the runoff election must be tested on Tuesday.

Henry Frisby, chairman of the UCEC, encouraged Parkers Chapel residents to take advantage of the opportunity to vote early in the Union County Courthouse due to some concerns that had been raised about ongoing construction for a renovation/ expansion project at the school.

“Particularly with school traffic in the mornings and afternoons,” Frisby said.

Parkers Chapel residents should also aim for early voting for the General Election on Nov. 8, he said.

Commissioners said they will schedule time to update the training of poll workers for the runoff election and General Election.

Oct. 10 is the deadline to register to vote in the November election.

Phillips said newly registered voters should call the county clerk’s office to verify their registration records.

“We have had some cards that have come in from the (Arkansas) Secretary of State’s office that have not been signed or completed,” Phillips said.

For more information, call the county clerk’s office at 870-864-1910.

Tia Lyons may be reached at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@eldoradonews.com.