Early voting for the Fayetteville City Council runoff election begins today (Nov. 27). Voters can cast early ballots from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Friday, Nov. 30, and also on Monday, Dec. 3 at the Washington County Courthouse. The runoff election is Dec. 4.

The election will decide council races in Ward 1 and Ward 4.

In Arkansas, when there are more than two candidates, if a single candidate doesn’t secure over 50 percent of the votes, the two people with the most votes go to a runoff election four weeks later unless the leading candidate receives more than 40 percent of the votes and is ahead of the runner-up by 20 percent.

City Council members are paid $12,504 per year.

Ward 1

Educator Sonia Gutierrez will face artist Olivia Trimble in the runoff to determine the winner of the Ward 1, Position 1 seat.

Both women hope to replace Adella Gray, who was first elected in 2006 and is the council’s longest active member. Gray did not seek a fourth term in the Nov. 6 election.

Gutierrez received 2,303 votes (41%), while Trimble took 2,220 votes (39%). A third candidate, Kris Paxton, received 1,132 votes (20%).

Ward 1 encompasses south and southeast Fayetteville, including the areas south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Huntsville Road. Mount Sequoyah, Happy Hollow Elementary, and Ramay Junior High School are also included in Ward 1.

Ward 4

Environmental consultant Teresa Turk will face incumbent John La Tour to determine the winner of the Ward 4, Position 1 seat.

Turk received 2,909 votes (45%), while La Tour took 2,811 votes (44%). A third candidate, Adam Fire Cat, received 677 votes (11%).

Ward 4 contains a large portion of west Fayetteville, including Razorback Stadium, Holt Middle School, Holcomb Elementary School, and the Boys & Girls Club of Fayetteville.