Election Day Is Next Tuesday; Be Sure And Vote

If you live in Northwest Arkansas and haven’t voted early, shame on you.

Please, please vote in the next few days or certainly on Tuesday, Nov. 8, as the polling places are open and going strong.

Early voting is one of the really wonderful things about the American voting experience.

In Arkansas, especially in Northwest Arkansas, it is easy, safe, efficient and a godsend to standing in long, long lines on Election Day.

On the ballot are many reasons for you as a citizen to participate as we choose leaders from the President of the United States down to the local constable.

For most of us, the top race, that of President of the United States, will drive us to the polling places. But do not, please, do not, ignore the “down ballot” races — those are the ones that perhaps more than others have a direct effect on our lives as citizens.

Those on the ballot (and not in exact order) are:

U. S. President and U. S. Vice President: There are eight (8) choices: (by party) Constitution Party, Darrell L. Castle and Scott N. Bradley; Republican Party: Donald J. Trump and Michael R. Pence; Democratic Party: Hillary R. Clinton and Tim Kaine; Green Party: Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka; Independent Party: Lynn S. Kahn and Kathleen Monahan; Libertarian Party: Gary Johnson and Bill Weld; Independent Party: Jim Hodges and Bill Bayes; and the Better for American Party: Evan McMullan and Nathan Johnson.

U.S. Senate: Republican Senator John Boozman; Democrat Conner Eldridge; and Libertarian Party candidate, Frank Gilbert.

U.S. Congress, District No. 3: Republican, Congressman Steve Womack and Libertarian, Steve Isaacson.

Washington County races for all voters in the county to cast ballots in these races are listed below:

Washington County Judge: Democrat Alderman Mark Kinion and Republican Joseph K. Wood.

Washington County Tax Assessor: Republican Assessor Russell Hill and Democrat Carol Waddle.

There are races in several Justice of the Peace Districts in Washington County, but you must live in these specific JP districts to vote in these races:

JP District 3: Democrat Andrew Gaber and Republi- can Harvey Bowman

JP District 5: Democrat Stacy Cavender and Republican Joe Patterson

JP District 8: Democrat, JP Daniel Balls and Republican Samuel Taylor

JP District 11: Democrat Joseph Kieklak and Republican Patrick Robert Briney.

JP District 14: Democrat, JP Ann Harbison and Republican Jim Renfrow.

Other Washington County races, those for the State House of Representatives involving certain areas in Washington County are:

House District 81: Democrat Susan McGaughey and Republican Bruce Coleman, in the West Fork and the southern end of Washington County area.

House District 85: Republican Dwight Gonzales and Democrat, State Rep. David Whitaker, in central Fayetteville, all of Farmington and portions of Prairie Grove area.

House District 89: Democrat Irvin Camacho and Republican Jeff Williams, in central Springdale.

There are no contested State Senate Races occurring in Washington County this election year.

There are some ballot questions for voters in various municipalities.

In Farmington, citizens will be asked to cast a local option vote on whether or not to allow off premises liquor sales.

In Greenland, city voters will be asked to vote on local option alcohol sales.

In Elkins, its citizens there are a question to extend the terms of city officials from two to four year terms.

In West Fork for voters, there is a question about raising a 1 percent sales tax for municipal needs.

Depending upon where you live, there are Mayor’s races in Fayetteville and West Fork.

City council races are being contested in Fayetteville, Springdale, and Johnson.

Locally there is a Farmington City Council race between Shelly Parsley and Howard Carter.

Over in Lincoln, there is a race between Troy Myers and Douglas Curtsinger.

And there is a Recorder/ Treasurer race in the City of Johnson.

Again, gentle readers, Early Voting is underway, and Election Day is Nov. 8.

Please vote.