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It’s officially Election Day in Baxter County.
And if national polling is any indicator, it’s one of the United States’ most important elections, with roughly 50% of both Republicans and Democrats worrying about what the other political party will do to them if they win.
While most eyes will be on the big race between former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris, Baxter County voters still have some work to do on the home front.
The polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. today at 11 locations throughout the county, including sites in Mountain Home, Big Flat, Henderson, Lakeview, Norfork, and Salesville.
Election Day Voting Locations:
- Baxter County Training Center – 170 Dillard Drive, Midway, Arkansas
- Big Flat City Hall – Hwy 14, Big Flat, Arkansas
- East Side Baptist Church – 718 E. 9th St, Mountain Home, Arkansas
- First United Methodist Church – 605 West 6th Street, Mountain Home, Arkansas
- Henderson Fire Station – 12487 Hwy 62 E., Henderson, Arkansas
- Lakeview Civic Center – 14 Skyles Lane, Lakeview, Arkansas
- Lone Rock Baptist Church – 6726 Push Mountain Road, Norfork, Arkansas
- Norfork First Baptist Church – 36 2nd Street, Norfork, Arkansas
- Northeast Lakeside Fire Station – 5482 Hwy 62 E, Mountain Home, Arkansas
- Salesville City Hall – 46 Gillespie St., Salesville, Arkansas
- The Good Shepherd Methodist Church – 179 Memory Lane, Cotter, Arkansas
If you are in line to vote when the polls close, DO NOT LEAVE. You will still be allowed to cast your ballot.
The ballot features a mix of national, state, and local races. Voters will choose candidates for U.S. President, U.S. Congress District 1, and various state legislative positions.
Local contests include races for Justice of the Peace in Districts 2, 3, and 7, as well as several Mountain Home and Norfork City Council seats.
Two ballot measures will be presented to voters. Issue No. 1 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow lottery proceeds to fund scholarships for vocational-technical schools and technical institutes. Issue No. 2 concerns casino licensing and local voter approval for new casinos.
Additionally, Cotter residents will vote on allowing off-premise sale of alcoholic beverages on Sundays, while Norfork voters will decide on repealing an ordinance permitting short-term rental of homes.
The Election Commission will conduct pre-election processing of absentee ballots on Nov. 4, with canvassing and counting to follow on Nov. 5 if needed.
Provisional ballot hearings are scheduled for Nov. 12, with the final review and counting of these ballots set for Nov. 9.
Election officials urge voters to familiarize themselves with their sample ballots, available on the Secretary of State’s website or at local vote centers and the County Clerk’s office.
The Election Commission expects to certify the election results on Nov. 15.
Baxter County Quorum Court
At a county level, voters still have to decide who they would like to serve on next year’s Quorum Court.
The Court currently has three seats that are contested. In District 2, Johnny Rickman (D) is facing off against Mike McDonald (R) to become the district’s next Justice of the Peace.
In District 3, Justice of the Peace Rick Steiner (R) is defending his seat against Donnie Huffine (D).
Lastly, Bob Nault (R) and Derek Huber (D) are running to see who will serve District 7 as its Justice of the Peace.
Earlier in October, a majority of the candidates sat down for a candidate forum with Heather Loftis of KTLO to discuss their thoughts on how best to serve the county and the future challenges it will be facing. The full article on the candidates and their opinions can be found here.
Mountain Home City Council
In Mountain Home, things are a little more tense between candidates running for City Council.
In Ward 1, Position 1, City Councilman Bob Van Haaren is defending his seat against Paige Wolfe, a relatively new resident of the Mountain Home area.
On the other side of City Council, long-time resident and former journalist Jim Bodenhamer is also fighting to keep his seat. His opponent is Michele Linehan, a businesswoman who has spent over 25 years in the mortgage banking industry.
While Van Haaren and Bodenhamer have come under scrutiny from a few, so too have their opponents. In a break from tradition, both Michele Linehan and Paige Wolfe have opted to run a partisan campaign in their bid for seats on City Council. Both candidates have received major financial support from the Baxter County Republican Committee.
City Council seats in Mountain Home are non-partisan.
Wolfe’s campaign has been solely funded by the BCRC, with no individuals contributing to her campaign financially.
Linehan has received smaller donations from local residents in addition to the money she received from the BCRC.
They have outspent Van Haaren and Bodenhamer by a large margin. Van Haaren reported $0 in contributions and expenditures in his pre-election report this year.
The BCRC was taken over by local activists last year, causing a major rift in the local Republican party. Many of its former members have moved on to form the North Arkansas Conservative Political Action Committee (We Are Republicans) or the “NAC PAC” for short.
A full breakdown of the City Council candidate’s positions on local issues can be found here.
