Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — A Russellville massage therapist submitted enough signatures today to qualify as an independent candidate for the vacant District 4 state senate seat, the secretary of state’s office said.

Tachany Evans, 36, submitted more than the 222 signatures required to earn a spot on the Dec. 9 special election ballot for the seat vacated by former Republican Sen. Sharon Trusty in August, said Natasha Naragon, spokesman for the Secretary of State Charlie Daniels.

The deadline to qualify as an independent for the ballot is Wednesday.

Former GOP state Rep. Michael Lamoureux of Russellville and attorney Jim Burnett of Atkins, a Democrat, are the other candidates for the seat.

Trusty was first elected to the Senate in 2000. She said in August she was resigning for family health reasons.