Today is election day in Washington and Benton counties as voters go to the polls to weigh in on bonds, fire dues, a college millage-rate increase and a few contested school board races.
Polls will be open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. today.
BENTON COUNTY
Northwest Arkansas Community College is seeking a 0.4-mill tax increase in today's election. Voters who live in the Bentonville and Rogers school districts will decide the issue as the millage applies only to residents within the college's taxing district.
Also, voters will decide whether to increase the annual fee for the Beaver Lake Fire Department from $150 to $200.
There are two contested school board races in Benton County. In Pea Ridge, Ryan Heckman and incumbent Adam Yager are running for the Zone 1 seat. Aric Bergthold and Gary Wheat are candidates for the Siloam Springs School Board Zone 3 seat.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Bond issues will be decided in Lincoln and Springdale.
Springdale voters will decide on a bond issue that could earn the city as much as $360 million, with $175 million for capital improvement projects, including a senior center, a new fire station, park improvements and road projects. Money raised by the bonds also would go to pay off previous bonds.
Voters will be asked to extend a 1% sales tax dedicated to the repayment of bonds.
A portion of Springdale also is in Benton County.
Voters in Lincoln are being asked to extend that city's 0.625% sales tax to pay off some bonds and provide money for a new bond issue to build a community building on the Lincoln square.
Voters in the rural fire district area around Tontitown are asked to put the residential and business dues for the Tontitown Area Fire Department on their annual property tax statements. The Tontitown Area Fire Department is separate from the Tontitown Fire Department, which the city operates. The ballot issue states the fire dues will not be more than $75 annually for residences and not more than $2,000 annually for businesses.
Fayetteville voters will choose either Heather Clouse or incumbent Keaton Smith for the Fayetteville School Board's at-large, Position 2 seat.
In Springdale, incumbent Michelle McCaslin Cook and Donald Tippett are vying for the Springdale School Board's at-large, Position 2 seat.
Because both seats up for election are at-large, all voters in the Fayetteville and Springdale school districts are eligible to vote in their respective districts' races.
Breezy Bazey of Bella Vista submits her ballot Monday during early voting at the Benton County Administration Building in Bentonville. Northwest Arkansans will take part in a special election today. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Stickers are displayed Monday during early voting at the Benton County Administration Building in Bentonville. Northwest Arkansans will take part in a special election today. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)POLLING PLACES
Voters may cast their votes today at the following locations.
Polls are open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Benton County
Bella Vista Church of Christ, 989 N.W. McNelly Road, Bentonville
New Life Christian Church, 103 Riordan Road, Bella Vista
Lifepoint Baptist Church, 11161 Gamble Road, Centerton
St. Bernards Catholic Church, Parish Hall, 1 St. Bernard Lane, Bella Vista
Bentonville Church of Christ, Activity Center, 708 N. Walton Blvd., Bentonville
First Landmark Baptist Church, 206 S.E. 28th St., Bentonville
Lakeview Baptist Church, 1351 E. Lowell Ave., Cave Springs
Centerton Community Building, 290 Main St., Centerton
NEBCO Community Building, 17823 Marshall St., Garfield
Lowell First Baptist Church, 209-A Washington St., Lowell
Moose Lodge No. 877, 215 W. Apple Blossom Ave., Lowell
First Baptist Church of Pea Ridge, Family Life Center, 1650 Slack St., Pea Ridge
Central United Methodist Church, 2535 W. New Hope Road, Rogers
Centro Cristiano Assemblies of God Church, 2121 S. First St., Rogers
Southside Church of Christ, 919 S. Dixieland Road, Rogers
Sunnyside Baptist Church, 210 E. Locust St., Rogers
First Baptist Church Highfill, 11912 S. Main St., Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs Community Building, 110 N. Mount Olive St., Siloam Springs
Washington County
American Legion, 200 Spring St., Springdale
Archer Learning Center, 600 Ash St., Springdale
The Awakening Church of NWA, 5763 E. Mission Blvd., Fayetteville
Calvary Church, 1000 N. Gutensohn Road, Springdale
Central United Methodist, 6 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville
Cornerstone Church of Christ (Baldwin), 4377 Huntsville Road, Fayetteville
Covenant Church, 4511 W. Wedington Drive, Fayetteville
Elm Springs United Methodist Church, 118 N. Elm St., Elm Springs
Elmdale Baptist Church, 1700 W. Huntsville Road, Springdale
First Church of the Nazarene, 2300 S. 40th St., Springdale
Genesis Church, 205 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fayetteville
Goshen United Methodist Church, 122 Arkansas 45, Goshen
Lincoln Masonic Lodge, 108 S. Arthur Ave., Lincoln
Mount Comfort Church of Christ, 3249 W. Mount Comfort Road, Fayetteville
Nob Hill Fire Station, 19375 Nob Hill Loop, Springdale
Oak Grove Baptist Church, 499 Oak Grove Road, Springdale
Ridgeview Baptist Church, 1850 E. Huntsville Road, Fayetteville
Sang Avenue Baptist Church, 1425 N. Sang Ave., Fayetteville
Sequoyah Methodist Church, 1910 Old Wire Road, Fayetteville
Sonora Baptist Church, 17330 U.S. East 412, Springdale
Springdale Civic Center, 2323 S. Old Missouri Road, D1, Springdale
Temple Baptist Church, 2900 Cambridge St., Springdale
Tontitown City Hall, 235 E. Henri de Tonti, Tontitown
Trinity Fellowship, 1100 Rolling Hills Drive, Fayetteville
Trinity Methodist, 1021 W. Sycamore St., Fayetteville
Yvonne Richardson Center, 240 E. Rock St., Fayetteville
Source: Benton County and Washington County election commissions