Early voting continues
More than 1,800 people have voted early for the primary runoff election March 31, according to the Jefferson County Clerk’s office. Early voting began March 24 and will continue March 30 at the Jefferson County Courthouse.
So far, the number of people who voted were:
Tuesday — 536
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Wednesday — 437
Thursday — 450
Friday — 430
Weekly total: 1,853.
Early voting will be conclude at 5 p.m. March 30. Locally, runoffs will include: county judge candidates Efrem B. Neely Sr. and Judge Gerald Robinson; and Justice of the Peace District 1 candidates Jackie Tillmon and Alfred Carroll. In the Republican primary, a runoff in the secretary of state’s race will be held between Sen. Kim Hammer and Bryan Norris.
UAPB alumni to meet virtually
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff/AM&N National Alumni Association announces its spring 2026 Virtual Alumni Town Hall Meeting will be held April 1 at 6 p.m. on Zoom.
UAPB Chancellor Anthony Graham and members the executive cabinet will share important updates, answer questions, and provide space for open dialogue for topics discussed on the call.
“Your voice and your presence matter, and we look forward to connecting with you,” according to Tanesha Thompson, president of the UAPB/AM&N National Alumni Association. “During the town hall, we will discuss key initiatives, upcoming events, and opportunities to stay engaged. This is also your chance to hear directly from our university’s senior leadership team.”
For details or to register for the Zoom meeting, visit https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/AP0QimJ5RWuILgijL_CLcQ#/registration.
Election panel to meet
The Jefferson County Board of Election Commissioners will hold two called meetings, according to Chairman Michael Adams.
March 31 — Beginning at 7 a.m., election commissioners will hold an election day meeting. They will remain in session until unofficial election results are announced at the election center, 123 Main St., at approximately 10 p.m.
April 1 — at 6 p.m., election commissioners will hold a regular meeting at the election center. The agenda includes approving the March 19 and March 31 meeting minutes and public comments on new business (two minutes per speaker).
New business includes to adjudicate any provisional and absentee ballots and approve manual audit of unofficial election results.
UAM to host history event
From April 9-11, the University of Arkansas at Monticello will host the 85th annual conference of the Arkansas Historical Association.
Those who wish to attend the conference can preregister on the AHA’s website. The deadline to register with meals included is March 31. Registration without meals will be available on site at the Gibson University Center.
The historical association has published the “Arkansas Historical Quarterly,” the state’s premier peer-reviewed history journal, since 1942.
The theme for the 2026 meeting will be “Arkansas at Work: Histories of Labor, Land, and Learning.”
This year marks the first time that the conference will be held in southeast Arkansas in more than two decades, according to a news release.
The conference will kick off April 9 with an archival workshop in the Gibson University Center, moderated by UAMS Historical Research Center Director Tim Nutt. This will be followed by an evening reception at the UAM Trotter House. On Friday and Saturday morning, historians and history students will gather in the Gibson University Center to present 36 selected research papers during 12 thematic sessions.
For a complete program, visit www.arkansashistoricalassociation.org. Details: Renwick Hudson at renwickh@uark.edu or (479) 575-5884.