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Nick Horton appointed to fill Benton County District 1 vacancy after tie and candidate withdrawal
Summary
After three candidates spoke, initial roll call produced a 7-7 tie between Nick Horton and Phil Davis; Davis withdrew and Horton was confirmed by majority and sworn in.
CAMDEN — The Benton County Commission appointed Nicholas "Nick" Horton to fill the District 1 commission vacancy after a two-round selection process and a candidate withdrawal.
Three candidates — Ken Berry, Nicholas Horton and Phil Davis — addressed the commission and public, outlining experience and reasons for seeking the post. Each candidate gave a short statement of their qualifications. Ken Berry said he served on the commission previously and would support the district; Horton emphasized listening and stewardship; Davis described longtime local service and community involvement.
The commission used roll-call voting. In the first round neither Horton nor Davis secured the required majority: the clerk reported a 7–7 tie between Horton and Davis and said majority for the body is 10 votes. Commissioners agreed to recess for five minutes to allow consultation. After the break, Phil Davis announced he would step aside in favor of Horton. Horton accepted, and the commission completed a roll-call vote that produced the required majority; the clerk swore him in at the meeting.
Chair instructions and the vote process were read aloud during the meeting and followed the commission's standing rules for filling vacancies. The commission did not discuss further conditions attached to Horton’s appointment at the time he was sworn in.
What happens next: The commission will include Horton in future votes as the District 1 commissioner; the seat will also be on the ballot in the next election per the candidate's prior filing status.
