FAYETTEVILLE — More than two dozen people had filed for 10 seats on seven Washington County school boards when filing closed at noon Friday.
Contested races developed in Fayetteville Zone 2, Farmington, Elkins, Lincoln, Springdale At-Large 1 and Greenland.
Several candidates can be considered elected if no one else steps forward as a write-in candidate. The filing period to run as a write-in candidate ends at noon Wednesday.
The unopposed candidates are: Justin Eichmann, Fayetteville Zone 3; William Dick, Prairie Grove Position 2; Beth Everett, Prairie Grove Position 5; Danny Dotson, Springdale Zone 5; Todd Bohannan, Greenland Zone 1; James Miller, Greenland Zone 3; Patrick Anderson, Greenland Zone 4; Terry Reed, Greenland Zone 6; John Collins, Greenland Zone 7; and Deborah Harnish, West Fork Position 3.
A four-person race developed in Greenland Zone 2, which covers the south side of Greenland and some unincorporated areas. All are newcomers to school board service: Keith Lawson, Lonnie Meadows, Paula Schoonover and Daniel Lee Stout Jr.
A two-person race is set up in Greenland Zone 5 between Dennis Caudle, a former school board member, and Daniel Marzoni II, a retired teacher.
The Sept. 21 school election, scheduled in all districts, is the first for Greenland since 2007. The Arkansas Department of Education took control of the district in 2008 because of recurring financial problem. The district has recovered after two years of close scrutiny by the state, and local control will be returned when a new school board is elected.
In the closing hours of the filing period, incumbent Laren Vaught drew an opponent, Cody N. Keller, in her bid to retain her seat on the Elkins School Board. The two are vying for Position 3 on the board.
Another late race developed when Bill Bush filed to challenge incumbent Jim Ayers for the Lincoln School Board Position 3 seat.
In Fayetteville Zone 2 — a seat currently held by Howard Hamilton — a three-way race will be between Bryn Bagwell, Helen Garst and Jeanie Hill, all newcomers. Hill has unsuccessfully run for the board before.
Hamilton announced several weeks ago that he did not intend to run for re-election. He is completing his 13th year on the Fayetteville School Board.
Incumbent Herbert Dorman will be challenged by newcomer Tom Parsley for the Position 3 seat on the Farmington School Board.
Voters in Fayetteville and Springdale will also decide millage questions to raise property taxes by 2.75 mills and 2.4 mills, respectively. Both millage increases are to fund new construction in each district.
The Washington County Election Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Monday to draw ballot positions in the contested races. The meeting will be in the Quorum Court room at the Washington County Courthouse.