Contested races set for all Congressional districts; four vie for Supreme Court Chief Justice

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas’ four U.S. House of Representatives members will face either a primary or general election opponent in the 2024 election, although the four are considered safe for re-election. The election cycle will also see four people vie for Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice.

The candidate filing deadline for the 2024 election cycle ended at Noon Tuesday (Nov. 14) with the Arkansas Secretary of State website indicating that 351 Arkansans filed to seek an elected federal, state or judicial position. The 2024 statewide primary election is set for March 5, and the general election will be held Nov. 5. (Link here to see the candidate filings.)

In Arkansas’ 1st Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro will not have a primary opponent but will face Democrat Rodney Govens, a 40-year year old Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran from Cabot, in the November general election.

Contested races set for all Congressional districts; four vie for Supreme Court Chief Justice

What To Expect When You're Redistricting

By DANIEL BREEN

Arkansas lawmakers are returning to the state Capitol Wednesday following an extended recess to formally begin the process of re-drawing the state’s four U.S. Congressional districts.

KUAR News spoke with Heather Yates, Ph.D., an associate professor of American Politics at the University of Central Arkansas, on what to expect from this year’s redistricting session. You can read an edited transcript of the conversation below.

What exactly is redistricting?

“Redistricting is the process that states undergo every 10 years to literally redraw the geographic electoral boundaries of the state's congressional districts, and on a state level its state Senate and state House districts. And the reason why the states do this is because they are commanded by Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution to take a count of the population. So every 10 years we take the Census, and then the state legislature uses that Census data then to reapportion the congressional districts to make sure that every person living in the United States has representation in the House of Representatives.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/what-expect-when-youre-redistricting

CREDIT NPR.ORG

Arkansas Apportionment Board Hires Former Chief Justice As Redistricting Coordinator

By SARAH KELLOGG

The members of the state Board of Apportionment, who are responsible for redrawing Arkansas’ congressional districts, on Monday approved the hiring of a former state Supreme Court chief justice to serve as the redistricting coordinator.

The three-membered board, consisting of Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge and Secretary of State John Thurston, motioned and then approved the hiring of Betty Dickey to serve in the position at a rate of $10,000 a month until the end of the redistricting process.

After officially calling the meeting to order, the committee quickly went into executive session to interview Dickey. After reconvening, the board made a motion to hire her, which passed. 

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-apportionment-board-hires-former-chief-justice-redistricting-coordinator

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Secretary of State John Thurston gather during the second Board of Apportionment meeting

CREDIT ARKANSAS PBS