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Only Contested Race In April Will Be For Ava R-1 Board

Filing ended Tuesday for the April 7 municipal and school elections, and the only contested race in the county will be for Ava R-1 Board of Education.
In the City of Ava, both Leon Harris and the incumbent, Billy Long, had originally filed for alderman of the West Ward, but this week Long officially withdrew his name from the hopper.
David Norman, currently serving as an alderman of the West Ward, is unopposed as a candidate for mayor, and Harris is now unopposed as a candidate for the other West Ward alderman seat.
Burrely Loftin, alderman in the East Ward, has filed for re-election to the seat he presently holds.
Loftin, as president of the Board of Aldermen, is also currently serving as acting mayor of Ava due to last week’s resignation of Mayor Eddie Maggard, whose term would have expired at the time of the April election.
In the Ava R-1 School District, six people have filed as candidates for two positions that are up for grabs. Candidates include Vernon Johnson, Vern Deatherage, Johnny Burkdoll, Vanessa Johnson, Bart Ellison and Regina Porter. Johnson and Burkdoll currently serve on the board.
In the Plainview R-8 School District, incumbent board members Amanda LeVelle and Lacy Roberts have filed for re-election. Since only two people filed for the two positions to be filled, no election will be necessary there.
In the Skyline R-2 School District no one filed for the board, so an election will be required to give patrons an opportunity to fill board seats there by write-in vote.
County Clerk Karry Davis explains that for write-in votes to be counted on April 7, those candidates still must declare themselves to be write-in candidates. Write-in candidates may make their declaration until Friday, March 27.
Two candidates are filed for two positions on the Douglas County Health Department board of directors, so no election will be necessary there. Candidates are Jeanne Curtis and Janice Young.
In the Ava Area Ambulance District, two positions are to be filled and two candidates have filed, so no election will be necessary in April.
Filed for re-election in District #1 is the incumbent Daryel Armour. Candidate for the board position in District #4 is Teresa Tost. Jim Stafford, who currently holds that seat, did not file for re-election due to health issues.
The county clerk pointed out that while school boards, the ambulance district and the health department board are not required to hold an election when the number of candidates matches the number of positions to be filled, that exemption does not apply in municipal elections.
Therefore, the City of Ava must hold an election on April 7 although there are no contested races.