Benton, ARVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Benton Mayor & City Council Election 2026

5 of 10

council seats up

6 contests

15 candidates

Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Mayor · 1 seat

City Council Ward 1 Position 1 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 2 Position 1 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 3 Position 1 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 4 Position 1 · Unopposed

City Council Ward 5 Position 1 · 1 seat

Voters elect the mayor citywide, and each of the five wards elects its Position 1 council member; the five Position 2 seats are not on this ballot.

3 notes on these statements

Judd Hart (Ward 4, Position 1) appears in the filings with no challenger. MySaline · Aug 7, 2026

Chad Slaughter was appointed to Ward 3, Position 1 in April 2026 after the death of Bill Donnor and serves through Dec. 31, 2026. MySaline · Apr 24, 2026

The term end dates of the Position 2 council members were not found in the sources reviewed. City of Benton

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Steve BrownCouncilmember, Ward 1, Position 21sourcedJeff HammCouncilmember, Ward 5, Position 24sourcedJeff MorrowCouncilmember, Ward 3, Position 24sourcedEvelyn ReedCouncilmember, Ward 2, Position 24sourcedTrevor VillinesCouncilmember, Ward 4, Position 24sourced

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decidesRezoning and housing density, City taxes and the grocery tax, Parks and big-ticket projectsKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

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Next date

Early voting begins

Mon, Oct 19, 2026

All key dates

What the next council decides

Rezoning and housing density

Where it standsIn July 2026 the council voted down two requests to rezone single-family land for multifamily use and a third was withdrawn; another multifamily request is on the September agenda.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide further rezoning requests and conditional use permits, including how to weigh neighbors' objections.

  • The council voted down a rezoning of 1715 and 1717 Deerfield Road from single-family to multifamily 8-2 on July 27, 2026. MySaline · Jul 27, 2026
  • The council voted down a rezoning of 1841 and 1829 Watts Road from R1 to R5 on a 7-3 vote on July 27, 2026. MySaline · Jul 27, 2026
  • Ordinance 50 of 2026, rezoning 1323 Columbia Avenue from R-2 to R-5 multifamily, was on the Sept. 28, 2026 agenda. MySaline · Sep 28, 2026
  • In December 2025 six council members voted no on a conditional use permit for a private school on about 93 acres near Interstate 30 and Highway 229; the applicant then withdrew a rezoning request. MySaline · Dec 15, 2025

City taxes and the grocery tax

Where it standsThe mayor says city tax and millage rates have been unchanged for eight years; a Ward 1 candidate proposes ending the city sales tax on groceries.

What's on the tableThe council sets budgets and decides whether to refer tax changes to voters.

  • Mayor Farmer said city tax and millage rates have remained unchanged for the past eight years. MySaline · Aug 6, 2026
  • Greg White's campaign site proposes ending Benton's city sales tax on groceries and says voters should get to decide it. Greg White for Alderman

Parks and big-ticket projects

Where it standsThe council's Sept. 28, 2026 agenda included a contract of up to $3,317,583 for artificial turf at two parks, financed with a promissory note.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how much to spend on parks, vehicles and facilities and how to finance them.

Permit and review fees

Where it standsOn Aug. 24, 2026 the council adopted Ordinance 44 of 2026 revising city fees, 8-1 with one member absent.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide on further changes to permit and development fees.

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. Should Benton end its city sales tax on groceries?

  2. 2. How should the city handle tax and millage rates as Benton grows?

  3. 3. How should the city decide on large projects like parks and facilities?

  4. 4. How should the city set permit and plan-review fees?

  5. 5. How should the council treat a conditional use permit for a large private school on land zoned for multifamily housing?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

The seat math

5 stay (not up this year): Steve Brown, Jeff Hamm, Jeff Morrow, Evelyn Reed, Trevor Villines5 on this ballot

10 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 6-vote majority.

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works →

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