Register to vote

It’s an election year!

For the second year in a row, a sitting Pea Ridge School Board member faces no opposition to reelection.

The Pea Ridge School District annual School Board election will be held May 22, 2018. There is one seat on the ballot. Incumbent Jeff Neil filed for reelection on Feb. 27. Filing closed Thursday, March 1. Neil faces no opponent.

Last year, Sandy Button ran unopposed to a second five-year term on the Pea Ridge School Board. Button is also the Pea Ridge City Clerk.

There will be many opportunities for voters in northeast Benton County this year with each of the municipalities — Garfield, Gateway and Pea Ridge — having mayoral elections.

In Garfield, in addition to the mayor’s seat, all four City Council seats expire Dec. 31, 2018.

In Gateway, the mayor’s seat, the recorder/treasurer and all five council seats expire Dec. 31, 2018.

In Pea Ridge, the mayor’s seat, the city clerk/treasurer’s seat, and two City Council seats expire Dec. 31, 2018.

According to the Benton County Clerk’s Office, filing times begin 102 days before the General Election and end 81 days before the General Election so filing should run from July 27, 2018, through noon Aug. 17, 2018. More information will be available closer to filing time.

According to Arkansas law, a candidate for municipal offices with the mayor-council form of government must file a petition of nomination, an affidavit of eligibility, a petition affidavit and

a political practices pledge with the County Clerk’s office.

To vote in an election, a person must be registered to vote.

• Be an Arkansas resident (residing in Arkansas at least 31 days prior to the first election in which you will vote)

• Be age 18 or turn 18 on or before the next election

• Not be a convicted felon whose sentence has not been discharged or pardoned

• Not be presently adjudged as mentally incompetent as to your ability to vote by a court of competent jurisdiction

• Not claim the right to vote in another county in Arkansas or another state

Forms are available on the county website (vote. bentoncountyar.gov) or at the County Courthouse. Mail or personally deliver your completed form and documentation (as required) to: Benton County Clerk, 215 E. Central Ave., Room 217, Bentonville AR 72712.

Potential voters must submit the application to an official voter registration agency or mail it no later than 30 days prior to an election in which they wish to vote. The postmark on a mail-in application will be considered the submission date.