A few powerful offices will be up for grabs in November, and the primary elections are set for March 3 with early voting starting Tuesday.

Why it matters: The primary elections decide who the final candidates will be, and in some cases, effectively elect candidates to office because candidates of only one party are running.

• Several nonpartisan judicial races and local decisions including a $375.5 million bond issue in Fayetteville are also on the ballot.

The latest: This is the first election where a new rule prohibiting registered Democrats from voting in Republican primaries is in effect. Voters registered as optional can vote in either primary, and registered Republicans can opt to vote in the Democratic primary.

• Regardless, voters can only vote in either the Republican and Democratic primaries. All voters can vote in nonpartisan races.

U.S. Senate

Lewisville Mayor Ethan Dunbar and Hallie Shoffner, a sixth-generation farmer from northeast Arkansas, are seeking the Democratic nomination to ultimately take Sen. Tom Cotton's seat.

Cotton has two challengers in the Republican primary: youth pastor Micah Ashby and Arkansas State Police trooper Jeb Little.

Governor

State Sen. Fred Love (D-Little Rock) is facing Supha Xayprasith-Mays, a business owner and former Walmart executive, for the Democratic nomination.

• Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is seeking reelection and does not have a Republican challenger.

Commissioner of Lands

Secretary of State Cole Jester and real estate investor Christian Olson are running for the Republican nomination. No Democrats are running.

Secretary of State

Miller County Judge Cathy Hardin Harrison, state Sen. Kim Hammer (R-Benton) and veteran Bryan Norris are running in the Republican primary. Marketing specialist Kelly Grappe is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

State Supreme Court Associate Justice Position 3 — Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Nick Bronni vs. attorney John Adams.

Court of Appeals Associate Judge District 3, Position 1 — Arkansas District Court Judge Sarah Capp vs. Prosecuting Attorney Brandon Carter.

State House

Former State Rep. Charlene Fite and business owner Melissa Koller are vying for the Republican nomination for District 24, which includes part of southwest Washington County and stretches into Crawford County. Veteran Ryan Intchauspe is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Benton County Judge

Justice of the Peace Carrie Perrien Smith and State Rep. Austin McCollum are running for the Republican nomination. The winner will face independent candidate Taylor Sizemore in the November election.

Washington County Judge

Judge Patrick Deakins is seeking reelection and has two challengers in the Republican primary: Tim Shepard, a Fayetteville police department captain, and attorney Mark Scalise.

Veteran and entrepreneur Dana Deree is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Washington County Sheriff

Sheriff Jay Cantrell will face opponent Mike Stewart, who previously worked for the sheriff's office, in the Republican primary. This election will decide who the sheriff is, as no other candidates have filed.

Go deeper: Find your polling places and see your ballot options.

See more races.

Fayetteville voters will be asked to consider nine questions on the March 3 ballot geared toward keeping an existing sales tax to afford a range of projects.

💰 How it works: The city has a 1-cent sales tax that's set to stop once the 2019 bond issues are paid off. If voters approve these bond issues, the tax will continue to pay for these projects.

• The first ballot question — whether to approve the refinancing of $40 million in bonds — must pass for any of the other questions to succeed, even if voters approve the other issues.

💧 Threat level: The largest item is $150.5 million for water and wastewater. If this issue fails, "the consequences are predictable and expensive," Mayor Molly Rawn told Axios in a statement.

• The money is for a major rehabilitation at the Noland wastewater treatment plant, plus a broad set of water and sewer investments across the city, including upgrading a water line running along the east side and building or upsizing infrastructure needed because of growth.
• Voting it down "could mean more emergency repairs, higher long-term costs, and tougher decisions about rates to the public almost immediately," Rawn said. "It also puts pressure on our ability to manage growth and meet regulatory requirements."

🥽 The intrigue: Fayetteville residents will get an aquatic and recreation center that would allow for year-round swimming if a $61.9 million bond issue passes to cover construction. The only city-operated pool is at Wilson Park. It's outdoor and only open during the summer.

• If voters approve, the city will move forward "promptly" with planning and design work in phases with community input, Rawn said. City leaders saw the results of a feasibility study for a center in fall 2025.

Other bond questions include:

🚦 $56 million for transportation — The money is for citywide street and mobility improvements including resurfacing, reconstruction and intersection improvements. Exact projects are TBD, but Rawn said improvements to the North Street and Garland Avenue intersection will be included and noted east/west connections are of critical importance.

🌳 $25.5 million for parks — Most of the money will go toward improving and maintaining existing parks (including upgrading amenities, restrooms and fields) and improving safety, accessibility and weather resiliency. A portion will also go toward purchasing land for future parks.

🚒 $18.65 million for the fire department — This is for the construction of a new fire station and upgrades to the city's fire training facility, which is used by firefighters across the region.

Keep reading

Voters in NWA's small towns have some decisions to make.

🏫 The Farmington school district is asking voters to approve an increase of 2 mills, which would bring the millage rate to 42.1 mills. The funding will allow Farmington schools to build a new junior high school, according to the school district.

• A mill is equal to $1 of property tax for each $1,000 of assessed value, which is 20% of market value. If the increase passes, those in the Farmington school district would pay $40 more per year for every $100,000 of their properties' market value.

💰 Siloam Springs voters will decide whether to extend a 0.375% sales tax for 10 years. Half of the tax revenue would go toward water, sewer, sanitation and electric improvements, while 30% would go to streets and 20% to quality of life capital improvements like parks, sidewalks and trails.

💵 Little Flock has a 1% sales tax for general operating purposes on the ballot.

🚒 The Rocky Branch Fire Association, a volunteer fire department in Benton County, is asking voters to approve an increase in annual dues from $75 to $125 for residential structures, $100 to $500 for business and free to $35 for vacant land.

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