Incumbents fare poorly in school board elections

Election Coordinator Bethe Henley said results were still preliminary. Ten overseas ballots have yet to be returned, and another, provisional ballot awaits approval by election commissioners. Overseas voters have until Sept. 28 to submit those ballots. That afternoon, commissioners will certify the election, and the results will be considered final.

The remaining votes could change the outlines of the election. However, Henley said they would not be sufficient to alter the outcomes.

In Berryville, incumbent Shannon Lee Hill was defeated by Todd Howard. She had represented Berryville's Zone Two for five years. Howard received 68.31 percent of the vote.

Howard was at the county courthouse last night when Election Commission Chair Levi Phillips read the results. He said he was pleased with the voter turnout this year and also pleased to have won.

"Shannon, she ran a good race," he said. "I'm ready to get in there and get to work - to do it by the book and do it right."

Hill was not immediately available for comment.

In Eureka Springs, School Board Vice President Tom Freehling was defeated by fireman and paramedic Jason Morris, who received 54.78 percent of ballots cast.

Freehling had served in the Position Four seat on the board since 2009.

The most hotly contested school board race this year was in Berryville's Zone One.

There, no candidate received enough votes to win. Henley said the two candidates with the most votes, Incumbent Vonda Bailey and Darrell Stidham, would proceed to a runoff election on Oct 9.

Of these two, Bailey received the most votes, with 39.26 percent. Stidham was not far behind, with 35.56 percent.

Jennifer McCall received 25.19 percent of votes and will not participate in the runoff election. McCall was also at the courthouse as the results were read.

As she left the building, she said she was disappointed. "I wouldn't have stuck my neck out if I didn't want it," she said, "but on the way over here, I prayed that the right candidate would win. If this is the Lord's will, who am I to question it? Maybe He has something else planned for me."

The remaining candidates this year were unopposed.

In Berryville, Sherri Plumlee will take over the Zone Four seat vacated by Sharon Ary. Jeff Miles and Kristi Howerton were re-elected to the Zone Five and at-large seats, respectively, and Joe Ward was elected to the second at-large seat.

No candidates filed to run for the Zone Three seat vacated by Lydia King.

The Green Forest school board election was conducted entirely by early and absentee voting this year. There, Police Chief John Bailey was re-elected to Zone Four. Only four votes were cast in Green Forest this year.

Overall, 688 ballots were cast in this year's election. That is 6.72 percent of registered voters in Caroll County, slightly below last year's turnout of 8.96 percent.