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Spotlight on legislative, judicial contests in today's primary Tuesday, May 20, 2008 By John Lyon and Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - With Arkansas' presidential primaries already over and no major statewide or congressional races on the ballot, several legislative and judges races were the draw in today's preferential primary and nonpartisan judicial election. Secretary of State Charlie Daniels expected perhaps fewer than one in five eligible voters to cast ballots - in the 15 percent to 20 percent range. "I don't expect it to be a large turnout statewide, some counties will experience a greater turnout than others," Daniels said Monday as the two-week early voting period came to a close in a primary devoid of star power since the presidential primary was moved to Feb. 5 and congressional incumbents drew no primary opponents. Nineteen percent of the state's registered voters cast ballots in the 2000 primary and 22 percent in 2004 primary, both of which had races for state offices and the presidency. In this year's earlier-than-usual presidential primary, turnout was 35 percent. As of Monday afternoon, 61,000 absentee and early voting ballots had been cast, about 4 percent of the 1.6 million registered voters in the state, Daniels said, compared to about 70,000 absentee and early voting ballots cast in the presidential primary. One of three races for state appeals court positions pits Pulaski County Circuit Judge Rita Gruber against incumbent Appeals Judge Wendell Griffen. In Northwest Arkansas, politically connected attorneys Courtney Henry of Fayetteville and Ron Williams of Springdale are running for the District 3, Position 2 post. In Southeast Arkansas, District Judge Waymond Brown faces lawyer Eugene Hunt for the District 7 position on the court. Both are from Pine Bluff. A key legislative contest featured incumbent state Sen. Irma Hunter Brown challenged by veteran former state Rep. Joyce Elliott in a Senate matchup of Little Rock Democrats. Two Republicans and three Democrats, all first-time legislative office seekers, sought the District 29 House seat in Saline County being vacated by term-limited Rep. Janet Johnson, D-Bryant. Democrats Mike Beckwith of Benton and Scott Smith of Bryant faced off for the right to take on the GOP primary winner among Ann Clemmer of Benton and Bryant residents J. Brett Hooton and Bud Lidzy in the fall. A primary runoff, if necessary, would be held June 10. The general election is Nov.4. In Jefferson County, Pine Bluff Democrats Donald Warren Sr., James L. Word and Delton Wright face off for the District 16 House seat. The winner will have no Republican opponent in the fall. In Republican primary races in Northwest Arkansas: - Duncan Baird of Lowell and Linda Bisbee of Rogers, wife of term-limited Sen. Dave Bisbee, are vying for an open District 95 seat. - Vickey Boozman of Cave Springs, widow of the late state senator and Health Director Fay Boozman, faced Tim Summers of Bentonville, for the open seat in District 99. - Mary L. Slinkard of Gravette faced Byron Warren, also of Gravette, for the open District 100 seat. - In Sebastian County, Republicans Brandon Woodrome and Stephanie Malone of Fort Smith are competing for the right to face Democrat Mike Bock for the open District 64 seat in November. |
