Northwest Arkansas voters have choices in city races

FAYETTEVILLE -- Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan drew three opponents in his bid for reelection while the mayors of Springdale and Rogers will face no challengers in the Nov. 3 general election.

The filing period for the nonpartisan municipal offices ended Wednesday with contested races in cities and towns throughout Benton and Washington counties.

The filing period began July 29. Washington County Clerk Becky Lewallen said changes in state law since 2018 compressed the filing period from three weeks into one week.

Lewallen said there were no major problems during the filing, although she said one person came into her office to file for a Springdale council position and he wasn't a registered voter.

Dana Caler, election administrator for Benton County, also said the filing period went smoothly.

Lewallen and Caler both said noted races with multiple candidates. Jennifer Price, election director for Washington County, said a runoff is needed unless one candidate garners more than 40% of the vote and no other candidate is within 20 percentage points of the leading candidate in races with three or more people. If the leading candidate received 41% of the votes, Price said, the next candidate would have to have 20% or fewer votes to avoid a runoff. If is runoff is needed, that election would be Dec. 1.

The race for the Fayetteville City Council Ward 1, Position 2, seat drew four candidates with no incumbent. The candidates are: Oroo Oyioka, D'Andre Jones, Pedro Fimbres Jr. and Tanner Pettigrew.

There are also four candidates for the Ward 4, Position 2 seat. The incumbent Kyle Smith faces Adam Fire Cat, Paul Waddell and Holly Hertzberg.

Jordan faces Tom Terminella, William Harris and Ron Baucom.

The race for the Springdale City Council Ward 4, Position 2 seat has drawn three candidates. Incumbent Kathy Jaycox faces Mark Fougerousse and Derek VanVoast.

In Bentonville, the contest for the Ward 1, Position 2 seat attracted five candidates. County Clerk Betsy Harrell said the incumbent, Chad Goss, is moving out of town and didn't seek reelection. The candidates for the open seat are Dylan Shaddox, Gayatri Agnew, Jeff Wadlin, Elle Jackson and Jeff Matkins.

Two other Bentonville races, for the the Ward 1, Position 1 seat and the Ward 3, Position 2 seat, attracted three candidates. In the Ward 1, Position 1, race the incumbent Tim Robinson faces Bonnie Adams and Jeremy D. Wiginton. For the Ward 3, Position 2, seat the incumbent Bill Burckart faces Bobby Wilson and Kesha Chiappinelli.

Four candidates filed for the Ward 2, Position 1 seat on the Bella Vista City Council. The incumbent, James Wozniak, faces Christian Henning, John Nuttall and Charles Flanary.

In Rogers, two incumbents find themselves in contested races for reelection. In the race for the Ward 1, Position 2 seat, incumbent Mark Kruger faces Aaron Clarke. In the race for Ward 3, Position 2, incumbent Jerry Carmichael faces April Legere.