Bentonville board seat up for grabs this fall

BENTONVILLE — The School Board’s Zone 1 representative has moved out of the zone and is unable to run for reelection this year.

Rebecca Powers has served on the board since 2012. Her second term expires this fall. Board members’ terms begin as soon as election results are certified.

Zone 1 covers parts of Bella Vista and Centerton. Powers, who lived in Centerton, said she moved to Bentonville in April. Board candidates must live in the zone they represent; once elected, they may serve the rest of their term even if they move into a different zone.

Powers, 51, is the only woman on the seven-member board. She works in disability accommodations for Walmart. She said she’d run for reelection if she could.

“The board still needs individuals like myself — single mom, multiple children, licensed teacher — to keep the issues of economic disparity in the forefront,” Powers said.

She ran unopposed for the seat in 2012. Board terms normally last five years, but when the Bentonville board changed from at-large to zoned seats in 2012, each member drew lots to determine when each position would be up for reelection so no more than two terms would expire each year. Powers drew 2015. That year, she earned a second term by defeating challenger Eowyn Francis-Moore.

Bentonville holds its board elections in November each year. Zone 1 is the board’s only seat up for election this year.

The election will be held in conjunction with federal, state and local elections Nov. 3. Only people who live in the zone are eligible to vote. Residents may visit www.voterview.ar-nova.org to find their zone.

The winner of the election for Zone 1 gets a five-year term. School board seats in Arkansas are unpaid positions.

Those who’d like to get their name on the ballot must file a petition with at least 20 signatures of qualified registered voters from the zone, a political practice pledge and an affidavit of eligibility with the Benton County clerk. Petition forms are available at any of the county clerk’s offices and online at vote.bentoncountyar.gov.

The filing period runs from noon July 27 until noon Aug. 3.

Prairie Grove is the only other Northwest Arkansas school district holding board elections in November. The rest of the region’s districts held elections in March.

Prairie Grove has two board seats up for election this fall: Position 2, held by William Dick; and Position 5, held by Casie Ruland. Both incumbents are running for reelection. Both seats are atlarge positions and are for five-year terms.