Judicial candidates introduced
Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/60060/
BENTONVILLE — Some candidates for judicial office got to introduce themselves to voters at a meeting of the Benton County Republican Committee on Tuesday.
Nonpartisan judicial elections will be May 20, the same day as partisan primary elections.
Candidates Robin Green and Jim Johnson are both running for the Division 1 Benton County Circuit Court judge post; Ray Bunch and Doug Schrantz are vying for the Division 6 Benton County Circuit Court judge post.
Candidates Lisa Gaddy, Steve Geigle and John Skaggs are seeking the Bentonville District Court judge position; Hardy “ Casey” Croxton, Brad Karren and Ben Lipscomb are running for the Rogers District Court judge position.
The Rogers and Bentonville district court judge positions are of interest to Benton County voters, even outside those cities, said George Spence, Benton County Republican Party chairman.
For the first time in 2008, Benton County residents, part of a 12-county program that brings district courts into the state judicial system, will vote countywide for district judges, he said.
Previously, judges were chosen districtwide.
As of now, Benton County District Court judges are part-time employees of the judicial district. But all except one of the district judges in Benton County will become full-time state employees beginning in January 2009. Skaggs has already started working under the program.