🇺🇸 Happy Tuesday and Election Day!

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Today’s newsletter is 1,054 words — a 4-minute read.

It's the last day to make your voice heard, with local, state and federal offices up for grabs.

Why it matters: The results will determine who represents Northwest Arkansas in state and local government and will help decide which party controls Congress.

State of play: Polls are open from 7:30am to 7:30pm today. You must be in line by 7:30pm to vote. A state or federal government-issued photo ID is required, but you can still cast a provisional ballot if you forget your ID.

• You'll have to return with your ID to your county's board of election commissioners or county clerk by noon Monday for it to be certified and counted.
• Find your polling places and learn more about voting rights.

By the numbers: As of the end of the day Saturday, 542,900 Arkansans had voted early, Secretary of State's Office spokesperson Samantha Boyd told Axios.

• That's about 30% of the state's more than 1.84 million registered voters. Arkansas is seeing a higher early voting turnout. In 2022, about 25% of the state's registered voters had voted by the Saturday before Election Day, with 457,271 ballots cast of about 1.8 million registered voters.
• NWA is on par with the rest of the state, with about 30% of registered voters in Benton and Washington counties having already voted as of Saturday, according to the counties' election commissions.

The big picture: Democrats are pulling for representation in Arkansas' federal delegation, with eyes on the Senate race as Democrat Hallie Shoffner seeks to unseat Republican Sen. Tom Cotton and Democrat Chris Jones competes for Republican Rep. French Hill's seat to represent the 2nd Congressional District in central Arkansas.

• The push comes as Republicans nationwide try to keep their majority in both the Senate and House.

Zoom in: Nine state House of Representatives seats in NWA will be decided, and the winners will help shape new state laws during the spring legislative session.

• No matter who's elected, Washington County is getting a new chief executive officer as Democrat Dana Deree and Republican Tim Shepard compete for county judge.
• Washington County also has nine contested justice of the peace seats. Benton County has seven contested seats.
• Rogers has a major six-question bond issue on the ballot that will decide whether a number of projects — including $195 million in street work, a new training center for the fire department and a new animal shelter — go forward. Siloam Springs residents will decide on a 0.625% sales tax to pay for $55 million in wastewater improvements that city leaders say are necessary.
• Several of NWA's small towns have mayoral elections and ballot issues, including Sunday alcohol sales.

Zoom out: Arkansas also has four statewide ballot issues and several statewide races, including whether to reelect Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is challenged by Democrat state Sen. Fred Love and Libertarian Colt Shelby.

The bottom line: Not voting is allowing others to make decisions for you.

• Check out our voter guide and see your sample ballot before going to the polls.

Read full story

The Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion plans to expand its hospitality complex for private members and events and its artists wing for performers.

Why it matters: The region's largest concert venue wants artists to have a good experience so they are more likely to return, Walmart AMP vice president Brian Crowne said in a news release.

• The hospitality complex expansion will allow the venue to take more private club members after being at capacity for several years, spokesperson Jennifer Wilson told Axios in an email. Memberships start at $5,000 a year.

State of play: The 1,270-square-foot addition to the Willard and Pat Walker Family Artist Wing includes a gym for artists, crews and their families, plus a lounge for watching TV or playing games backstage. The work will include enclosing the patio that was added in 2020 and installing air-conditioning, Wilson said.

• Separately, a two-story permanent hospitality complex will replace the open-air tent that has housed the Land O'Lakes Lounge since 2014. The lounge will be on the first floor, and the second floor will house an all-inclusive club with beverages, food, air-conditioning, seating and private access to a patio, according to the news release.
• The venue can also rent the space for private or corporate events, Wilson said.

By the numbers: The work, totaling $7.7 million, will nearly double the hospitality complex's size, adding 6,000 square feet for a total of 12,725 square feet.

Keep reading

🍝 Springdale's Zelli Pasta plans to open a sandwich shop and market near Gulley Park, becoming the first commercial tenant in the former Township Baptist Church. (Fayetteville Flyer)

🏥 Arkansas marketplace health insurance enrollment fell 14% over the past year after federal subsidies expired and higher premiums priced some people out of coverage. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

📰 The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette says it overstated its average paid print and digital circulation in an annual U.S. Postal Service filing and will submit corrected numbers. (Arkansas Business)

• The newspaper's parent company, Wehco Media, cut 102 jobs last week in Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas.

The average price of gas in Northwest Arkansas was $3.68 per gallon at the start of November, down 32 cents from its September peak of $4, according to GasBuddy data.

State of play: Drivers are getting some relief, but they're still paying $1.27 more per gallon than in December, when prices averaged $2.41.

By the numbers: NWA prices were 44 cents below the national average of $4.12.

• National prices have fallen 36 cents from their May peak of $4.48.

The big picture: The Iran war has kept gasoline prices elevated for months, prompting several states to suspend fuel taxes to provide some relief.

• Prices for gasoline, diesel and power are playing a prominent role in some of the tightest races for control of Congress.

Thanks to Chloe Gonzales for editing this newsletter.

😁 Alex is glad to have Worth back. She can stop making the "Worth-less" joke he hates.

🤠 Worth is back in the saddle. He's voted and hopes you will too.