Justice of the Peace Carrie Perrien Smith and State Rep. Austin McCollum faced off for the Republican nomination for Benton County Judge. McCollum won the GOP nomination, according to preliminary, unofficial results. Polling at 64%, McCollum received 12,266 votes. Perrien received 6,882. 

The county judge is the chief executive of county government in Arkansas. The vacancy came about after incumbent County Judge Barry Moehring — another Republican — announced July 24 that he wouldn’t seek a fourth term. His current four-year term runs through the end of the year.

Smith has been a justice of the peace on the Benton County Quorum Court since 2019. McCollum has served in the Arkansas House of Representatives since 2017.

It’s possible that McCollum could face an independent challenger. Taylor Sizemore of Bentonville filed as an independent candidate for county judge. According to a report by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Sizemore stated in a news release that he must submit 2,000 valid signatures from registered Benton County voters by May 1 to appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

Other Republican incumbents seeking re-election to county office who were unopposed in March 3 balloting were: 

• County Assessor: Roderick Grieve of Bentonville 
• Circuit Clerk: Brenda DeShields of Springdale
• County Clerk: Betsy Harrell 
• County Sheriff: Shawn Holloway of Bentonville.
• Coroner: Daniel R. Oxford

The County Collector nomination was won by Justice of the Peace Joel Edwards who ran without opposition. 

Justice of the Peace races in Benton County on the Republican ticket included:

• District 9: Adam McInnis and Alex Rodriguez
• District 11: Incumbent JP Dustin Todd and Bryan Holland
• District 13: John Mater and Kevin L. Osnes (The winner will face Democrat Meleah Gretzmier in the November general election.)

Other issues some voters in Benton County addressed were an increase in fire dues for a rural fire association, a Siloam Springs vote, and a Little Rock tax vote, according to KFSM.

Voters approved an increase in the Rocky Branch Fire Protection Association levy of dues with 79.08% voting in favor (121) and 21.92% against (32). The increase raises volunteer fire department dues from $75 to $125 on residential structures, from $100 to $500 on businesses, and from $0 to $35 on vacant parcels. The increased dues shall be listed annually on the real estate property tax statements and collected at the same time and in the same manner as real property taxes.

In Little Flock, voters tied on approving an ordinance levying an additional 1% sales and compensating use tax within the city of Little Flock to be used for general operational purposes; prescribing other matters relating to the levy; and for other purposes. The tally was 174 for and 174 against.

In Siloam Springs, voters approved extending a sales tax by a 70.91 percent -29.09 percent margin. City voters cast ballots on the extension of the existing .375% sales and use tax within the city of Siloam Springs for a period of 10 years without raising the existing tax rate. Half of the net collections that remain from the aforesaid 3/8% sales and use tax after deductions of the administrative charges of the state of Arkansas, shall be used for the purpose of paying all or a portion of the cost of capital improvements to the water, sewer, sanitation and electric facilities of the city’s utility system, 30% shall be for the purpose of paying all or a portion of the cost of capital improvements in the street fund, and the remaining 20% will be used for the purpose of paying all or a portion of the cost of quality of life capital improvements, including but not necessarily limited to parks, sidewalks, and trails.

Justice of the Peace Republican candidates who did not face opposition were:

• Justice of the Peace, District 1: Jeff Dunn. 
• Justice of the Peace, District 2: Candace Bright 
• Justice of the Peace, District 3: Carlos Chicas. 
• Justice of the Peace, District 4: Michael W. Miller
• Justice of the Peace. District 5: Luke Heffron
• Justice of the Peace, District 6: Pat Adams 
• Justice of the Peace, District 7: Joseph Bollinger 
• Justice of the Peace, District 8: Joel Jones 
• Justice of the Peace, District 10: Danny McCrackin
• Justice of the Peace, District 12: John Good Rissier
• Justice of the Peace, District 14: Bethany Rosenbaum
• Justice of the Peace, District 15: Robby Asbery 

For the District 9 JP seat, Adam McInnis faced off against Alex Rodriguez. McInnis won with 78.30% of the vote totaling 487 votes. Alex Rodriguez received 135 votes. 

For Justice of the Peace, District 11, JP Dustin Todd was pitted against Bryan Holland. Todd won with 60.58% of the votes totalling 936 votes. Holland received 609 votes. 

For Justice of the Peace, District 13, Kevin L. Osnes faced John Matar for Justice of the Peace, District 13. John Matar won with 55.90% totalling 801 votes. Osnes received 632 votes.