Arkansas Voters Go To The Polls For Runoff Elections

Four seats in the Arkansas House are subjects of runoff races today. A number of county-wide and local races are on the ballot across the state, too. Two of the House races are in easytern Arkansas, where Democratic nominees will be chosen to face Republican opponents this fall. A pair of Little Rock area House districts will also be settled voting today. Otherwise, contested runoffs in 36 of the state`s 75 counties feature only local races undecided in the May 18th primaries in which about 20 percent of the state`s eligible voters participated. Secretary of State Charlie Daniels suggested that less than half that number -- about seven percent -- would vote in the runoffs. ------ In Little Rock, retired educator Wilhelmina Lewellen faces vocational teacher Willie Hinton for the House seat that Lewellen`s husband, Representative John Lewellen has held since 1999. John Lewellen was prohibited by term limits from seeking re-election after three terms. Wilhelmina Lewellen finished first with 46 percent of the vote in a three-candidate race in the primary. Hinton made the runoff with 42 percent and H. "Otis" Tyler finished third with 13 percent. No Republican sought the seat. No Republican candidate sought the House seat of Representative Jim Lendall of Mabelvale, who also was prohibited by term limits from seeking a fourth term in office. Pam Adcock of Little Rock finished first in the primary with 44 percent of the vote. Mike Stalnaker, with 29 percent, edged out Fredrick Love`s 27 percent to make the runoff. ------ In eastern Arkansas, Phillip Carter of West Memphis, the top vote-getter in the District 54 Democratic primary with 37 percent, will face second-place finisher Otis Davis of Earle, who finished with 35 percent. Vickie Miles-Robertson of West Memphis finished third in the primary with 28 percent. The runoff winner will face Crawfordsville School Superintendent Ray Nassar, a Republican, in November for the District 54 House seat of Representative Steve Jones of Marion, who is term-limited. The district includes part of Crittenden County. In District 80, which covers Randolph County and parts of Sharp County, David R. Cook, a teacher from Williford, who garnered 44 percent of the primary vote, will face salesman Dick N. Roberts of Pocahontas, in the Democratic primary. Roberts got 29 percent to 27 percent for third-place finisher Kirk Wilson. The Democratic nominee will face Republican real estate broker Rodney Harris of Pocahontas in the general election.