SEBASTIAN COUNTY (KFSM) -- A runoff election today in Sebastian County will determine the Republican candidate for the State Senate District 8 seat.
The election takes place today between state Rep. Mat Pitsch and former state Rep. Frank Glidewell. Polls open today (June 19) at 7:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. this evening.
The winner will be the Republican nominee for the seat previously held by Jake Files, who resigned and pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering charges. Files was sentenced to 18 months in prison Monday (June 18).
Pitsch says citizens need good leadership to represent the River Valley in Little Rock.
Glidewell says lawmakers need to work on ending corruption.
The Republican nominee will face Libertarian candidate Whitfield Hyman in the November general election.
The winner will begin a four-year term in January. Glidewell and Hyman will also face each other in a special election in August. The winner will take over the rest of Files' term from September through December.
There are 22 polling places available today in Sebastian County. See the list here.