Your 2024 election guide for Northwest Arkansas

Election Day is just around the corner, and Arkansas voters have local and state decisions to make, on top of the presidential election.

What we're watching: The 3rd District U.S. House seat representing all of NWA is up for grabs, and three of NWA's largest cities have contested mayoral races. The candidates include:

• Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, Democrat Caitlin Draper and Libertarian Bobby Wilson for U.S. House representative.
• For Bentonville mayor, incumbent Stephanie Orman and Steve Galen.
• For Fayetteville mayor, incumbent Lioneld Jordan, Adam Fire Cat, Molly Rawn and Tom Terminella.
• For Rogers mayor, incumbent Greg Hines and Chris Latimer

Plus: See the city council races for the largest NWA cities.

Statewide elections

• Voters will decide between Republican Secretary of State John Thurston, Democrat John Pagan or Libertarian Michael Pakko for the state treasurer's office.
• Arkansas Supreme Court Justices Karen Baker and Rhonda Wood are running for chief justice, position 1.

Statewide ballot issues

• Issue 1 would allow the existing Arkansas Scholarship Lottery to be applied to vocational and technical schools instead of only traditional academic colleges.
• Issue 2 would revoke any casino license issued in Pope County by the Arkansas Racing Commission and require any future license to be approved by county voters.
• Issue 3 would have revised the state's existing medical marijuana laws, but on Oct. 21, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that the language for the proposed constitutional amendment is misleading to voters and that votes do not need to be counted.

Key local ballot issues

• Fayetteville and Siloam Springs voters will have a chance to vote on whether to allow alcohol sales on Sunday.

• Tontitown voters will decide on a 0.75% sales tax extension plus bond issues that would include $7.1 million for a new police station, $7.1 million for street improvements, $5.5 million water improvements and $1.1 million for parks and recreation projects like a community center and improvements to Sbanotto Park.
• Greenland is asking voters to consider a new 1.5% sales tax to repay bonds, which the city is also taking to the ballot — $8.5 million in bonds for sewer improvements.

Other local ballot issues include:

• Increasing the Pleasure Heights Volunteer Fire Department and the Hickory Creek Volunteer Fire Department dues from $40 annually to $100 annually.
• Whether Highfill council members should be elected to staggered four-year terms.
• Allowing the manufacture or sale of liquor in Cane Hill.
• Annexing about 1,870 acres into Siloam Springs. See a map.

State House representative contests

District 7 encompassing northeastern Benton County, including Garfield:

• Republican State Rep. Britt McKenzie vs. Democrat David McPherson.

District 8 in northern Benton County, encompassing Pea Ridge and part of Bentonville:

• Republican State Rep. Austin McCollum vs. Libertarian Michael Kalagias.

District 9, which includes eastern Springdale

• Republican State Rep. DeAnna Hodges vs. Democrat Diana Gonzales Worthen.

District 10 in north central Benton County, including part of Bentonville and Bella Vista:

• Republican State Rep. Mindy McAlindon vs. Democrat Kate Schaffer

District 11, which includes part of downtown Springdale:

• Republican State Rep. Rebecca Burkes vs. Democrat Rey Hernandez.

District 12, which encompasses the most northwestern part of Benton County, including Gravette and part of Bella Vista:

• Republican State Rep. Hope Hendren Duke vs. Democrat David Barber.

District 13 in central Benton County including parts of Bentonville and Rogers:

• Republican State Rep. R. Scott Richardson vs. Democrat Ashley Sheys.

District 14, which encompasses most of Centerton:

• Republican Nick Burkes vs. Democrat Jacob Malloy.

District 15, which includes part of Rogers:

• Republican State Rep. John Carr vs. Democrat Stephanie Funk.

District 18, which includes Tontitown and western Springdale:

• Republican State Rep. Robin Lundstrum vs. Democrat Justin Meeks.

District 19, which includes most of Johnson, plus parts of Fayetteville and Springdale:

• Republican Rep. Steve Unger vs. Democrat Billy Cook.

District 24, which includes southwest Washington County and stretches down into Crawford County:

• Republican Brad Hall vs. Democrat Ryan Intchauspe.

District 25, which covers eastern Washington County, including Elkins, and stretches down into Crawford County:

• Republican State Rep. Chad Puryear vs. Democrat Caitlin Tannehill Oxford.

State Senate contests

• Republican incumbent Sen. Jim Dotson and Democrat Kaylee Wedgeworth are running to represent District 34, which is in north-central Benton County and includes parts of Bella Vista, Centerton and Bentonville.

School board and trustees

• NorthWest Arkansas Community College board of trustees has two spots up for grabs. Trustee Mark Scott and Margaret Mouser are running to represent Zone 6. Candice Bright and Joe Spivey are running to represent Zone 9. See zones.
• Incumbent Jennifer Faddis and Reisha Bravo are competing for a spot on the Bentonville School Board.

Benton County justice of the peace contests

• District 2 — Republican incumbent Ken Farmer vs. Democrat Alex Tabor.
• District 3 — Republican incumbent Richard McKeehan vs. Democrat Evangeline Beaumont.
• District 4 — Republican Michael Miller vs. Democrat Erin Taylor.
• District 5 — Republican incumbent Carrie Perrien Smith vs. Democrat Steven Baker.
• District 7 — Republican JP Joseph Bollinger vs. Democrat Kelly Sikorski.
• District 8 — Republican JP Joel Jones vs. Democrat Carol Vella.
• District 10 — Republican JP Danny McCrackin vs. Democrat Lon Cross.
• District 11 — Republican JP Dustin Todd vs. Libertarian Cody Martin.
• District 14 — Republican JP Bethany Rosenbaum vs. Democrat Melody Miller.
• District 15 — Republican JP Joel Edwards vs. Libertarian Brian Leach.

Washington County Justice of the Peace contests

• District 1 — Republican Bradley Bruns vs. Democrat Sarah Hampton
• District 2 — Republican incumbent David Wilson vs. Democrat Nestor Briceno
• District 4 — Democrat Vladimir Lopez vs. Republican Bill Ussery.
• District 6 — Republican incumbent Lisa Ecke vs. Democrat Shannon Freas.
• District 7 — Republican incumbent Charles Dean vs. Democrat Sherry Main.
• District 10 — Republican incumbent Robert Dennis vs. Democrat Amanda Foster.
• District 14 — Republican incumbent Gary Ricker vs. Democrat Ashley Lee Hicks.
• District 15 — Republican incumbent Butch Pond vs. Democrat Chad Brekelbaum.

Washington County voters are also to vote for constable, a law enforcement position. Democratic constable John Brooks is running for re-election. His challengers are Republicans Tom Clowers and Kyle Woodruff.

Make a plan to vote

• Dates to know
• Check your ballot ahead of time to know which races you're eligible to vote in.