Primary election results certified

Benton and Washington County election officials on Friday certified the results of the March 5 primary election and began looking ahead to the Nov. 5 general election.

The Washington County Election Commission certified the results after adding seven ballots to the totals that had already been counted. The additional ballots were absentee or overseas ballots that were received after election day but in advance of the deadline for them to be counted Friday.

Jennifer Price, the commission’s executive director, said no outcomes were changed by adding the seven votes. One election, an annexation vote for the city of Greenland, was approved by a margin of 12 votes.

Price said the ballots added to the count Friday were not concentrated in a single area or contest.

“They were just in random precincts across the county,” Price said.

The board set a meeting on Aug. 27 to hold the ballot draw for the Nov. 5 general election. The ballot draw is set for 9 a.m. in the Quorum Court meeting room at the county courthouse.

The general election will include the contested races stemming from the party primary elections and also local municipal elections. Price said the filing period for municipal offices runs from July 31 through Aug. 7.

There are currently no special elections scheduled for November, Price said. She said there may be a special election to determine an annexation for the city of Goshen, and an effort is underway to place a measure for Sunday alcohol sales in Fayetteville on the ballot.

Any request for a special election must be filed with the County Clerk’s Office by Aug. 27, Price said.

Price also said Washington County election officials will be participating in an April 16 meeting focusing on election security hosted by the Secretary of State’s Office.

The meeting of Northwest Arkansas election officials will focus on issues relating to cybersecurity, Price said.

The Benton County Election Commission also set a ballot draw date of Aug. 23 for the general election.