The filing period for municipal elections in Baxter County will open at noon on Wednesday and close at noon on August 5. Candidates seeking positions for mayor, city clerk, city attorney, or city council may submit their filings during this window.
Eligible candidates must file their paperwork with the Baxter County Clerk's Office. Cities in the county with positions open for election include Big Flat, Briarcliff, Cotter, Gassville, Lakeview, Mountain Home, Norfork, and Salesville. The offices of City Clerk and City Attorney will also appear on the ballot in Mountain Home, the only city of the first class in the county. All other municipalities are classified as second class.
Baxter County Clerk Canda Reese outlined the eligibility criteria for candidates. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, Arkansas residents, at least 18 years old, registered voters, and residents of the city for which they are running. Individuals convicted of crimes such as fraud, embezzlement, bribery, or forgery are disqualified from filing.
Reese anticipates a busy start to the filing period on Wednesday. "The first day of filing should be pretty busy," she noted. Ward maps for city elections are available in each city’s office, and voting on city council positions is conducted at large.
The municipal elections will take place on November 3, aligning with Arkansas' general election. Interested residents can access the Baxter County Clerk’s Office at the courthouse on the Mountain Home Square if they have questions or need assistance filing.