Election deadlines fast approaching

Ballot order to be determined March 8

— Benton County candidates will learn where they’ll appear on the May 22 primary ballot March 8, when the ballot order is set by the luck of the draw.

The county Election Commission chose March 8 to establish ballot positions to comply with state election laws. Commission Chairman John Brown Jr. said candidates will draw for positions based on the order in which they file for office.

State law provides for the commission to set ballot order by lot, and Brown suggested having candidates draw for positions based on the date and time they file as a way of ensuring fairness. Filing first does not give a candidate the first position on the ballot, only the opportunity to draw first.

The commission set a special meeting for the ballot draw at 6:30 p.m. March 8. State law requires the order be set at a public meeting.

The filing period has already begun for candidates in the nonpartisan judicial election, which is also held May 22 in conjunction with the party preferential primary. Candidates in the nonpartisan judicial election who were filing by petition had to file their papers with the Benton County Clerk’s Office by noon Jan. 23. Judicial candidates who choose to pay filing fees have from noon Feb. 23 to noon March 1 to file. Write-in candidates for the judicial election must file by March 5. The filing period for candidates in the preferential primary begins at noon Feb. 23 and ends at noon March 1.

The deadline for voters to register for the May 22 election is April 23, according to information from the County Clerk’s Office. Early voting for the May 22 primary and judicial election begins May 7 and ends May 22. If a runoff election is needed, it will be held June 12.

News, Pages 5 on 02/15/2012