In early and absentee voting in Tuesday’s primary, incumbent justices of the peace were outdistancing their opponents in all but one race, and in that one, a previous incumbent was leading.
Six of 13 JP positions were contested, with all of those happening in the Democratic primary.
District 1
Incumbent Alfred Carroll Sr. was outdistancing contender Garland Trice.
With nine of nine precincts reporting for early and absentee votes, the count was:
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Alfred Carroll Sr.210
Garland Trice 160
Carroll explained during his campaign why he was opposed to many efforts by County Judge Gerald Robinson to run county government, saying Robinson ignored the state constitution and accepted protocol for running Quorum Court meetings.
Trice, who has run unsuccessfully for local offices in the past, struck a more cooperative note in how he hoped to operate as a justice of the peace, saying he wanted to join the Quorum Court to help alleviate the friction that took place in 2023.
District 4
Patricia Johnson, the incumbent, was leading opponent Win Trafford, a former member of the Pine Bluff City Council.
With all early and absentee votes counted, the results were:
Patricia Johnson 278
Win Trafford 196
Johnson has been a staunch supporter of Robinson’s, saying she had been put off by the lack of cooperation on the Quorum Court. Trafford also has said he wanted to bring a better working relationship to the court.
District 5
Incumbent Lloyd Franklin Jr., unlike other incumbents, was losing to Jimmy Fisher Sr. Fisher held the District 5 seat at one time but stepped away two years ago to run — unsuccessfully, as it turned out — for the county treasurer position.
With all early and absentee votes counted, the results were:
Lloyd Franklin Jr. 146
Jimmy Fisher Sr. 369
Franklin was the most vocal opponent of Robinson’s during 2023, while Fisher, in his previous time as a JP, was a supporter of Robinson’s.
District 6
Incumbent Margarette Williams was narrowly ahead of Randy Green in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
With all early and absentee votes counted, the results were:
Margarette Williams 174
Randy Green 158
Williams has said she would push for economic development in the county and training for young adults.
District 9
Incumbent Cedric Jackson was leading Joseph O’Neal in the early going Tuesday night.
With all early and absentee votes counted, the results were:
Cedric Jackson 159
Joseph O’Neal 114
Jackson said the problems in 2023 were caused by Robinson, who, Jackson said, tried to control the JPs. O’Neal blamed the JPs for the friction and said he would work against what he called “community treason.”
District 13
Incumbent Brenda Gaddy took an early lead over her opponent Bruce Carman.
With all early and absentee votes counted, the results were:
Brenda Gaddy 127
Bruce Carman 92
Carman has said the Quorum Court should work toward what’s best for the public and not for themselves.
There were also two constable races in Jefferson County.
Early and absentee voting in the Spring Township in the Republican primary showed:
Clyde R. McDaniel Jr. 147
Richard Victorino 111
In the Democratic primary for Vaugine Township, the early totals were:
Deshawn Bennett 2,903
Leon Warren Sr. 1,153