One of five seats on the Pea Ridge School Board is up for election this year.
Each of the five seats is held for five years with one becoming available every year. As the Pea Ridge School District population expanded it was zoned, according to state requirements and the board members drew lots for shorter terms in order to create the staggered terms.
The election will be May 9.
Candidates, who must be a U.S. citizen, a registered voter and a resident of Zone 1, may begin collecting signatures. Petitions may begin being filed Feb. 22 and be filed until March 1.
Qualifications for School Board candidate include:
• Must be a qualified registered voter of the school district and the electoral zone, if applicable A.C.A. §§6-13-616(a), 6-14-111(h), (i)(1), Article 3, §1;
• Must be a U.S. citizen Article 3, §1;
• Must be an Arkansas resident Article 3, §1;
• Must be a resident of the school district and, if elected from zones, the respective electoral zone A.C.A. §§6-13-631(d)(1), 6-14-111(i)(1);
• Must not be an employee of the school district served A.C.A. §6-13-616(b);
• Must be lawfully registered to vote Article 3, §1; and
• Must never have been convicted of fraud, embezzlement of public money, bribery, forgery, or other infamous crime Article 3 § 6; Article 5 § 9.
Candidates must file a petition containing at least 20 signatures of qualified registered voters of the district and zone or file a notice of write-in candidacy with the county clerk, complete and file an affidavit of eligibility and complete and file a political practices pledge.
According to the Pea Ridge School District officials
Petition forms are available at any of the County Clerk's office locations and on the Benton County Clerk's website at vote.bentoncountyar.gov
At the time of the filing, candidates will receive a condensed version of the School Election calendar; a Notice of Ballot Draw - A.C.A. §6-14-111(j); a Notice of Deadlines to file reporting forms; two Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Forms - Pre-Election Report (if required); and Final Report (required); and a Statement of Financial Interest – due on March 6, 2023, the first Monday following the close of the filing period, if one was not previously filed as the incumbent by Jan. 31, 2023.
The deadline to register to vote for the annual School Election is April 10, 2023.
Early voting will be 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, through Friday, May 5, and Monday, May 8.