Independent sheriff’s candidate not allowed to run as write-in

An official with the St. Francis County Clerk’s office recently updated the county’s election commission about an issue involving a person wanting to run for sheriff and collector as a run write-in candidate. SFC Election Commission Chair Patti Long said the county clerk's office recently received notice that the potential candidate wanted to file as a write-in candidate, which is no longer allowed in Arkansas. "We don't have this on our agenda today, but we had an issue with filing," said Long. "Since Mrs. Emily (Holley) is here, I want to let her walk us through that and what conclusion we came to so that we are all on the same page about what happened here. In case the public asks us, we will have the information to respond." Holley, a deputy clerk and former county clerk, told commissioners that Tracey Haggins, who filed as an independent candidate for the position in November 2025 contacted the clerk's office last month saying she intended to run as a write-in candidate. "On Friday, May 1, I received a call from Tracey Haggins, who had decided to run as an independent," said Holley. "She had her paperwork and she said she had it all filled out, but she had decided she wanted to run as a write-in candidate. I told her that I didn't know anything about a write-in, because we had never had one since I have been in the county clerk's office. I told her I would call the Secretary of State's Office." Holley stated that upon speaking with an employee at the Secretary of State's Office, she notified Haggins that she could not run legally as a write-in candidate in that race. "I called the Secretary of State's Office. I explained that this lady was here wanting to file as a write-in and he said we don't have write-in candidates and that there was no such thing,” said Holley. “I called her back and told her what the Secretary of State's Office had said, which is that the state no longer does write-in candidates." According to Holley, Haggins came to the courthouse and told Holley to accept paperwork to run as a write-in candidate, however, Holley did not take the papers. "She came up to the office and I gave her the number of the gentleman that I spoke with so that she could call Little Rock," said Holly. "She came up to the office and brought a write-in form. I asked her where she got it and she wouldn't say. She just told me to accept it. I told her that I could not accept that because we don't have write-in candidates anymore. She tried to put it through the window, but I didn't take it." Holly said that in addition to this, the office also received an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request for multiple items from Haggins. "We didn't even discuss it anymore," said Holly. "Once I told her, that was it. She tried to say she left it in the window, but we don't accept anything outside of our window. In turn, I spoke to Frederick (Freeman, SFCEC commissioner) and I spoke with Fletcher (Long, St. Francis County Attorney) and asked him to find out about it. Fletcher sent Brandi (McCoy, county clerk) an email explaining what the law says. We then sent her a letter and told her that we don't do that. "I don't know, after that, if she has done anything else," continued Holley. "She has sent in a Freedom of Information Act request on different things since then." According to commissioner Long, Arkansas Code 7-5-205 states that no person shall file as a write-in and no write-in votes shall be counted. "Our point is that we don't want to disenfranchise anyone who wants to run, but we also have to follow the law," said Long. "That is what our job is. Arkansas Code 7-5-205 of 2024 is real succinct on the issue. It says that no person shall file as a write-in candidate and no vote for a write-in candidate shall be counted. I called the commission and asked if this was correct. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't imagining things. I was told we are correct." Long stated that there had been a lot of talk around Forrest City about the issue and she just wanted to be sure everyone with the commission is on the same page. "There was a lot of talk around town about us not accepting that," said Long. "I want to make sure, I don't know that you have heard anything about it or not, but I have heard about it. I just want to make sure that we are all on the same page and that we are following the law according to Arkansas Code. No votes shall be counted and nobody shall file as a write-in candidate."

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