FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County voters made their choices Tuesday in one Republican primary and one Democratic primary for a seat on the Quorum Court.
JP District 4
In the Republican primary, voters favored Bill Ussery as their candidate for the District 4 seat on the Quorum Court.
The complete but unofficial vote totals are:
Ussery 139 (70%)
Anderson 59 (30%)
Ussery, 67, a product manager for Brunner & Lay, served on the Quorum Court in District 4 from 2012 through 2018. Ussery said he wanted to return to serving the residents of his district.
Ussery was chairman of the Budget Committee in his last term and said one area he would focus on if elected would be finances.
Ussery, said his experience on the Quorum Court gives him an advantage over someone new to county government.
“It took almost a year before I understood enough to make any difference,” he said. “With experience, I can jump right in and be a contributor.”
The winner of the Republican Party primary will face Kenny Arredondo Loyola, a Democrat, in the Nov. 3 general election. Judith Yanez, the incumbent, chose not to run for reelection.
District 4 is largely the area of Springdale east of Thompson Street, north of Robinson Avenue and south of Emma Avenue.
JP District 7
In the Democratic Party primary, voters chose Janelle Bradford Smiley as their candidate for the District 7 seat on the Quorum Court.
The unofficial early vote totals are:
Smiley 1,463 (83%)
Ritterbush 296 (17%)
The winner of the Democratic party primary will face incumbent Sam Duncan, a Republican, in the Nov. 3 general election.
Smiley, 60, a retired lawyer, said her interest in county government was stirred by the recent controversy over proposals for dirt mining operations in her district. She said she thinks residents’ concerns aren’t being considered.
Smiley said she’s concerned about crowding in the Washington County Detention Center. With her years as a lawyer, she sees potential legal liabilities for the county if the problem isn’t addressed quickly. The potential risks to detainees and staff makes the problem even more urgent, she said.
District 7 includes parts of west Fayetteville north and south of West Wedington Drive. The district extends west into Washington County and south to the northern part of Prairie Grove.
Justices of the peace serve two-year terms and are paid $200 per diem on days they attend Quorum Court or committee meetings.
[Click here for complete results from the Washington County and Benton County races.]
NW News on 03/04/2020