Exit poll hints at outcomes of local races

Editor’s note: Results from our exit poll are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the overall results from the primary election.

Exit polls are surveys conducted with voters as they leave their polling stations on election day. We approached voters in person immediately after they cast their ballots Tuesday at the Arkadelphia Recreation Center, which is typically the busiest voting center in Clark County. We were on site from the time polls opened at 7:30 a.m. until the lunch hour ended at 1 p.m., then for an additional hour this afternoon.

We polled voters only on local races — namely, how they voted on the continuation of Arkadelphia’s 1-cent sales tax; who they chose in the Clark County District Judge race; and who they chose in the Arkansas State Senate District 03 race.

About 63% of voters residing in Arkadelphia appear to be in favor of continuing a 1-cent sales tax for an additional 10 years. We polled 117 voters in this particular race.

Exit poll results:
FOR: 74
AGAINST: 43

The countywide race for Clark County District Court Judge shows the incumbent to be carrying 64% of the vote. We polled 135 voters in this particular race.

Exit poll results:
Greg Vardaman: 48
Judge Randy Hill: 87

Incumbent state Sen. Steve Crowell appears to be carrying Clark County in the Republican primary race for Senate District 03, which includes all of Columbia, Lafayette, Nevada and Clark counties, as well as parts of Hempstead, Pike and Hot Spring counties. Senate districts contain about 86,000 Arkansans. The exit poll shows Crowell to be holding 71% of the votes from Clark County. Crowell, who hails from Magnolia, is facing challenger Mark Silvey, a Hope businessman. We polled 77 voters in this particular race.

Exit poll results:
Sen. Steve Crowell: 55
Mark Silvey: 22

RELATED: Watch election results tonight at arkadelphian.com’s Facebook page.