By Kay King

Senior Reporter 

UPDATE: This story was updated the morning of March 6 to reflect newer information.

Unofficial, preliminary results from Super Tuesday show that justices Rhonda Wood and Karen Baker will head to a runoff election on Nov. 5 to decide the next Chief Justice for the Arkansas Supreme Court.

In preliminary, unofficial returns, Baker captured 27% of the vote and Wood had 26.3%. Both now serve on the Arkansas Supreme Court. Another justice, Barbara Womack Webb, was close behind with 25.9%, but only the top two vote-getters advance to the runoff. A runoff is required when no individual gets more than 50% of the votes. A fourth candidate, Jay Martin, received 20.6% of the vote. The returns are unofficial until certified by the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office. The statistics are from The Associated Press as published on the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s website.

Balloting for State Supreme Court Associate Justice, Position 2, shows Courtney Hudson in the lead with 60.33% of the votes and Carlton D. Jones with 39.4%.  The two were running to replace Justice Cody Hiland, who was appointed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, to fill that seat.

Prosecuting Attorney, District 19-West, shows Bryan Sexton in the lead with 55.96% and Sarah Phillips with 44.04% of the votes. 

Benton County Election Coordinator Kim Dennison, told the Eagle View, “We vote to elect people into office that are willing to go the extra mile to help our voices be heard. It is important to vote in a Primary Election to help determine who will be on the November Ballot.”