Carroll County Judge David Writer won a second term in the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election, defeating Democratic challenger Jim Wallace by 603 votes, according to unofficial results released by the Carroll County Clerk’s Office.
Writer, a Republican who took office in January 2023, received 4,598 votes, or 53.51 percent, to Wallace’s 3,995 votes, or 46.49 percent.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported me and went to the polls,” Writer wrote in a Facebook post after the election. “I'm honored that you've trusted me to keep serving as your Carroll County Judge.”
Writer also addressed criticism during the campaign.
“This election cycle had its share of distractions, including some pretty rough things said about my family and me,” he wrote. “But the results from last night show that the people of this county value the truth, and that means the world to us.”
Writer is scheduled to stand trial Jan. 28, 2027, on a Class A misdemeanor harassment charge stemming from an allegation that he threatened to kill Eureka Springs resident Eric Scheunemann after the Jan. 20 quorum court meeting.
Special prosecutor Jason Barrett filed the charge in June after Prosecuting Attorney Tony Rogers recused himself. Writer issued a public apology Feb. 3, saying the conversation “got out of hand.” The charge remains pending.
Wallace led by 81 votes after combined early and absentee voting, receiving 3,062 votes to Writer’s 2,981. Writer overcame that deficit with 1,617 Election Day votes to Wallace’s 933.
“I'm ready to keep working hard for this county,” Writer wrote. “Let's put the negativity of the campaign behind us and focus on the future.”
In the two contested races for the Carroll County Quorum Court, Democrat Al Selleck won the District 1 justice of the peace seat and Republican incumbent Kellie Matt retained her District 7 seat.
Selleck defeated Republican Sharon Lawlor by 87 votes, receiving 660 votes, or 53.53 percent, to Lawlor’s 573 votes, or 46.47 percent.
Selleck received 472 early votes, 13 absentee votes and 175 Election Day votes. Lawlor received 372 early votes, eight absentee votes and 193 Election Day votes.
In District 7, Matt defeated Democratic challenger David Robinette by 316 votes. Matt received 553 votes, or 70 percent, to Robinette’s 237 votes, or 30 percent.
Matt received 377 early votes, eight absentee votes and 168 Election Day votes. Robinette received 184 early votes, one absentee vote and 52 Election Day votes.
Countywide, 8,769 ballots were cast, representing 50.17 percent of Carroll County’s 17,479 registered voters. The total included 6,047 early ballots, 2,626 Election Day ballots and 96 absentee ballots.
All results are unofficial pending certification.
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