CAMDEN — By the Camden News staff
The 2018 Primary Election is over and Tuesday night in Ouachita County saw a Justice of the Peace incumbent defeated, the voter numbers for a constable position result in a necessary run-off, and also saw the incumbent for the coroner’s seat keep his position - despite one of the lowest voter turn-outs that the county has ever produced, according to Ouachita County Clerk Britt Williford.
The county clerk stated that during early voting, only 957 voters - 6 percent of voters - was seen. Those voters are from the 16,000 registered voters in the county.
And on election day, only around 15 percent - 2,800 people - voted, said Williford.
The unofficial tally of results from precincts within Ouachita County reflect the following:
• Incumbent Ouachita County Coroner Sylvester Smith received 1,072 votes to opponent Todd McAteer’s 807 votes. Smith garnered 57.05 percent of the votes to McAteer’s 42.95 percent.
• With 105 votes, Eddie Pickett defeated Doris Grissom for the District 3 Justice of the Peace position. Pickett received 65.22 percent of the vote, whereas Grissom received 56 votes, garnering 34.78 percent of the votes. After the election results were announced, Grissom - who told the Camden News that she had been a JOP since around 1995 - agreed with Ouachita County Judge Robert McAdoo that she “had a good run” with her many years of service to the county.
• For constable of the Bragg township, there was a tie. John Dodson received five votes, as did his opponent, Powell “Cotton” Greening. This resulted in a run-off for the position, which will be announced soon.
• The winner in the race for constable of the Red Hill Township was Jason Purifoy, who won 90.67 percent of the vote with 68 votes. His opponent, Roland Ross, received seven votes for 9.33 percent.
• For the Camden Fairview School District’s Zone 2 seat, incumbent Macon Patton held on to the position with 108 votes at 55.10 percent; with his opponent, Keith Johnson, receiving 88 votes at 44.90 percent. Patton, who has served for 14 years on the school board, stated regarding his win: “It’s an honor to keep serving. It’s just all about the kids.
• CFSD’s Zone 3 seat was retained by Eddie R. Moore, who received 203 votes to defeated his opponent, Juanita Mitchell. Moore’s 56.55 percent of the votes was enough to hold off Mitchell, who received 156 votes at 43.45 percent.
“I want to let my supporters know that I appreciate their confidence in me,” Moore stated. “I plan to do as good a job - or better - as I’ve done the last 25 years. I’ve given my all for every person.”
• In the vote over the mill issue in the Camden Fairview School District, there were 959 votes - 49.46 percent - against the measure; and 980 votes for the measure, for 50.54 percent.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette staff compiled the results of other races within the state:
Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Democrat Jared Henderson each won his party’s gubernatorial nomination Tuesday and will face each other in the Nov. 6 general election.
Incumbent Bruce Westerman defeated Randy Caldwell 39,873 to 10,041 for the U.S. House District 4- GOP-Primary.
There will be a runoff for Arkansas Supreme Court seat three between Courtney Goodson who received 114, 053 votes and David Sterling who received 102,581 of the votes. Opponent Kenneth Hixson received 88,040.
In the Secretary of State GOP race, John Thurston won with 98,323 votes against Trevor Down who received 90, 117 votes.
Hutchinson, of Rogers, handily defeated gun range owner Jan Morgan of Hot Springs, while Henderson of Little Rock, who has an education background, was the victor over hair braider Leticia Sanders of Maumelle.
Libertarian Mark West of Batesville also will be on the general election ballot.
With 2,694 of 2,749 precincts reporting, incomplete, unofficial returns in the Republican primary were:
• Hutchinson 141,604
• Morgan 61,317
“I think voters chose optimism and hope for the future, and I’m glad they did because it gave us a resounding victory,” Hutchinson said.
The governor said he expects a vigorous general election campaign that provides voters a clear choice between him and Henderson.
Morgan collected about the same share of votes in the primary as Hutchinson’s foe did four years ago, the governor said.
Morgan said she called Hutchinson to concede the primary election to him, but she doesn’t plan to endorse him in the general election.
She said she would have liked to garner more votes than she did, but that she and her supporters were “victorious” in rallying the conservative base of the Republican Party and awakening people to “big government” in the state.
“We are beginning to build a foundation of a liberty machine,” stated Morgan.
In the Democratic primary, with 2,690 of 2,749 precincts reporting, incomplete, unofficial returns were:
• Henderson 67,135
• Sanders 38,640
Henderson said his victory is the result of his incredible campaign team and his message that Arkansans can expect more for the state in education, small business and health care.
“We are grateful for all the support,” he said.
Henderson said he believes his campaign has a strong message that will resonate throughout the state in the general election campaign.
Meanwhile, Sanders said she would “just wait for the end” to see the election results.
Hutchinson is seeking re-election to his second four-year term as governor. He won the endorsement of Republican President Donald Trump on Monday.
In 2014, Hutchinson beat businessman Curtis Coleman for the Republican gubernatorial nomination by a margin of 73 percent to 27 percent. In the subsequent general election, he defeated former Democratic Rep. Mike Ross of Little Rock and others. In 2006, he lost his first bid for governor to Democrat Mike Beebe.
Hutchinson is a former federal homeland security undersecretary, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration director, U.S. attorney and 3rd District congressman.