Northwest Arkansas’ first election of 2013 will invite a small number of voters to participate.
Residents in a portion of northern Washington County will decide Jan. 8 which city to join: Tontitown or Elm Springs.
Both of those cities have claimed the same 88-acre area in separate elections. Elm Springs residents decided to annex it Nov. 6 as part of a larger grab of land on the city’s west side. Tontitown residents voted to annex the area in a special election Dec. 11.
Almost all the residents in the contested area live in the Churchill Downs subdivision off Brush Creek Road. It includes 23 address points. There are 47 registered voters in the area, according to Jennifer Price, Washington County election coordinator. Nineteen of those voters, or 40 percent, voted in the Dec. 11 election.
Price said she’s never seen an election open to such a small number of registered voters.
Tontitown Mayor Tommy Granata offered lower tax rates as one reason for voters to choose his city. Elm Springs Mayor Ben Wall did not return two phone messages seeking comment.
The election probably will cost no more than $2,500, Price said. Elm Springs and Tontitown will split the cost.
Early voting will be available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays starting Jan. 2 at the county clerk’s office, 280 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville.
The only polling site on Jan. 8 will be at the Elm Springs Community Center, 289 Jayroe Ave., Elm Springs. The site will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.