Arkansas 2026 Filing Opens; Local Jurisdictions File

The candidate filing period opened Nov. 3 in Arkansas and in some local jurisdictions elsewhere, with most partisan filings due by noon on Nov. 12 and nonpartisan filings due by 3 p.m.; the March 3, 2026 primary and Nov. 3, 2026 general election calendars are now set. At the Arkansas State Capitol, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders filed for re-election, stressing education, public safety and phasing out the state income tax, and U.S. Reps. French Hill and Bruce Westerman also filed. Notable Democratic challengers filing include Chris Jones for U.S. House and Hallie Shoffner for U.S. Senate. Numerous county-level filings were recorded, including Vermilion County, Ill. (three candidates for sheriff), and Arkansas counties such as Garland and Columbia, which saw entries for coroner, treasurer, circuit clerk and justice-of-the-peace seats. Election officials published early-voting schedules, set local objection and ballot-lottery dates in some jurisdictions, and urged poll-worker recruitment and voter outreach as campaigning formally begins.