The White County Republican Party has selected Heather Bryant as its nominee for White County Judge following the death of Judge Lisa Brown.
Bryant, who served as an administrative assistant in the White County Judge’s Office under Brown, will appear unopposed on the November general election ballot. No Democratic or independent candidate filed for the office.
Bryant is expected to begin a 4-year term as White County Judge in January.
At the 1 p.m. filing deadline Tuesday, Bryant and White County Road Department Supervisor Edward Covington were the only 2 candidates to file for the Republican nomination.
Brown’s family publicly endorsed Bryant before the committee meeting, calling her their choice to become the Republican nominee and the next White County Judge.
Members of the White County Republican Committee met at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Carmichael Community Center in Searcy. According to information announced following the meeting, 69 committee members participated in the vote.
Bryant and Covington were each given 7 minutes to speak to the committee delegates before the vote was held. Bryant received a warm reaction from the crowd when the results were announced.
Following the meeting, ArkansasRadio.com asked White County Republican Committee Chairman Roger Pearson why the party did not hold a special primary election and allow Republican voters to choose the nominee.
Pierson said election deadlines did not leave the party enough time to organize and conduct a special primary.
“The reason no primary election was done was because there was not enough time to even formulate the possibility, let alone getting one done,” Pierson said.
He explained that election officials needed the Republican Party’s nominee immediately so ballots could be prepared by the required deadline.
Brown had been running unopposed for another term before her death following a battle with cancer. Because no Democratic or independent candidate filed, Bryant will be the only candidate listed for White County Judge on the November general election ballot.
The process to fill the remainder of Brown’s current term is separate from the election for the new 4-year term beginning in January. The Quorum Court will select the person to fill the remainder of this years term.
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