SALINE COUNTY, Ark. — Tuesday wasn't just about voting; it was also the deadline for candidates to file for next year's ballot, and one candidate's last-day bid for a spot on the Saline County Quorum Court is making waves.
Former Saline County Library Director Patty Hector is running to be on the quorum court, run by the same judge who fired her back in October.
This follows months of drama over book regulations, something Hector said is now a core reason for her candidacy in District 13 Justice of the Peace.
"More transparency in our local government [and] a voice for everyone, no matter what your political party is," Hector said.
Hector is running as a Democrat for a position on the Republican-heavy court.
"Everybody deserves to have a voice in their local government," Hector said. "And they don't in Saline County."
Over the summer, Hector sat at the center of months-long debates over library book access, ultimately leading to the court approving an ordinance, giving the judge the power to fire her.
"You fired me, and I won't go away," Hector said.
Saline County Spokesperson Trevor Villines said in a statement to us that they welcome all candidates.
"On behalf of the Saline County Clerk's Office, we welcome all candidates to the 2024 election season," Villines said. "For updates during the process, we encourage everyone, including candidates, to check our website and social media pages. We wish all candidates the best of luck."
Hector explained that the library's future is a driving motivation for her candidacy.
"I love that library," Hector said. "There's no way I would stand still and watch them destroy it."
During the summer's public meetings over library policies, billboards went up against Hector, along with what she said were other personal attacks online.
"I've been through the wringer," Hector said. "I'm not worried. There's pretty much nothing that can be said to me at this point that hasn't been said. They've called me a lot of names."
And a month out from losing her job at the library, Hector said she wants to focus on what she can do for the county.
"I am going to stay here," Hector said. "I'm not moving away. My family's here, and I want to make things better. I want to live in a better community than what is going on right now."
We contacted the other District 13 Justice of the Peace candidate, Karen Crowson, multiple times, but she was unavailable.
While at the courthouse, we saw Judge Matt Brumley, and he told me he agreed with the county's stance, encouraging anyone who wants to run for office to do so.
Hector also said she is continuing with legal action against the county for the circumstances surrounding her firing, but does not expect that situation to affect her candidacy.