2026 Midterms State GuideArkansas
Hold on to your duck calls and fly rods.
- PrimaryStatewideMar. 3This date has passed.
- Election DayGeneralNov. 3
Updated
Hi! It’s me, Shadrach. Apparently, I’m your civic guide today. If you’ve been complaining about how things are going (and I’ve heard you, the walls are thin), this guide will help you feel informed and able to vote in this year’s midterms. Now, hold on to your duck calls and fly rods, and let’s get into it.
Arkansas at a glance
Arkansas votes on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, for governor, U.S. Senate, all 4 U.S. House seats and four statewide ballot measures.
- Election Day
- Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Voter registration
- Oct. 5: Voter registration deadline
- Early voting
- Oct. 19: In-person early voting begins.
- Governor
- 3 candidates
- U.S. Senate
- 3 candidates
- U.S. House
- 4 seats
- Statewide ballot measures
- 4
Your to-do list
0 of 3 doneImportant dates
- Sept. 18Absentee ballots must be available and distributed to military and overseas voters This date has passed.
- Oct. 5Voter registration deadline
- Oct. 19In-person early voting begins.
- Nov. 3Election Day.
What’s at stake
According to Arkansas’s prospective candidates for Congress, Arkansas voters across the political spectrum have expressed frustration with the cost of groceries, housing, and healthcare. One candidate noted that affordability has long been a problem for Arkansas as one of the poorest states in the U.S., while current Sen. Tom Cotton has named inflation as the biggest issue facing Arkansas. The Natural State has historically seen some of the lowest voter turnout in the country, adding another level of uncertainty to races.
Who’s on your ballot
Tap a race to see the candidates.
Arkansas is choosing a governor
See whose priorities line up with yours
Here are the top priorities each candidate lists, in their own words. Pick the 3 that matter most to you. Names stay hidden until you see your results.
0 of 3 picked
Sarah Huckabee SandersRepublicanincumbent
Top priorities- Investing in education and education reforms, particularly early literacy programs
- Lifting families out of poverty and food insecurity through food stamp program reforms and Medicaid work requirements
- Phasing out state income tax
Fredrick LoveDemocratArkansas State Senator, 15th district
Top priorities- Fostering economic development by investing in small businesses, workforce training, and infrastructure
- Investing in education through literacy programs and mental health services, increasing teacher salaries in rural districts, providing free lunch to all students, and directing more funding to early childhood education
- Public safety and criminal justice by prioritizing rehabilitation over incarceration to reduce repeat offending
- Top priorities
Colt ShelbyLibertarian- Limited government involvement with a focus on local government first
- Economic freedom through lowered taxes and lowered regulations on farmers and small businesses
- Putting emphasis on family and community responsibility over government programs
- Get to know ’emHallie ShoffnerDemocrat
- Get to know ’em
Jeff WadlinLibertarian
All U.S. House of Representatives seats are up for election every two years. Find your district here.
- Shadrach’s big picture
Arkansas will elect four candidates to represent them in the U.S. House. Republicans are expected to hold all four of those seats.
- Open seats
None
- Competitive districts
Cook doesn’t rank any Arkansas district as competitive (all four solidly Republican). Candidates in both parties filed to run in all four districts, so no district is guaranteed to either party, but a Democratic candidate hasn’t won a congressional seat in Arkansas since 2010.
Statewide ballot measures
4 to read before you go. Tap one to open it.
This measure adds more explicit language to the Arkansas Constitution stating that only U.S. citizens are allowed to vote in state or local elections. The constitution already says this, but this language makes the requirement clearer.
Voting yessupports amending the constitution to state more explicitly that only U.S. citizens may vote in state or local electionsVoting noopposes amending the constitution and keeping the current language, which already limits voting to U.S. citizensExpands gun rights language in the Arkansas Constitution to explicitly state citizens have the right to keep and bear arms for hunting, recreation, and any other lawful purpose. The specific verbiage: the right to bear arms "is a natural, fundamental, and individual right that shall not be infringed."
Voting yessupports amending the constitution to state that citizens have a natural, fundamental, and individual right to keep and bear arms for hunting, recreation, and any other lawful purposeVoting noopposes amending the constitution and keeping the current language, which states that “The citizens of this State shall have the right to keep and bear arms, for their common defense.”This measure opens the door for the state legislature to establish programs like Economic Development Districts (think: government entities that focus on economic development in their region) and create grants and loans using public money for the purpose of statewide economic growth.
Voting yessupports amending the constitution to let the legislature establish programs like Economic Development Districts and create grants and loans using public money for statewide economic growthVoting noopposes amending the constitution, which doesn’t currently give the legislature this permissionAuthorizes the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to issue $500 million in bonds over time to keep water-related infrastructure flowing.
Voting yessupports letting the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission issue $500 million in bonds over time for water-related infrastructureVoting noopposes authorizing the bonds, so the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission does not take on this $500 million in new borrowing
Also on the ballot
Other races Arkansas voters will decide.
- Lieutenant Governor
- Attorney General
- Secretary of State
- Auditor
- Commissioner of State Lands
- Treasurer
- State Senate
- State House
- State Supreme Court
- Intermediate Appellate Court
- Special State Legislative
- School boards
- Municipal Government
- Recalls
- Local Ballot Measures
Whose job is it?
Ten things government does. Tap the office that does each one.
Whose job is it to…
1 of 10
Declare a state of emergency after a hurricane or flood?
Pass it on
Know someone voting in Arkansas?
Send them the guide. It takes one tap, and it saves them an evening of arguing in a group chat.
From the newsroom
How TPO has covered Arkansas this cycle. Tap one to read it here.
A prayer for Arkansas
Creator and Sustainer of all nature, we pray for Arkansas as voters approach the midterms. Thank you for the privilege voters have to cast their vote for the good of their community. Sharpen their attention, help them see the ballot with your eyes, and help them vote with both conviction and humility.
May candidates campaign with integrity. Remind them that the office is not a mere prize to be won, but a profound responsibility to be cared for. If they win, surround them with wise counsel and guide them toward decisions that serve their constituents. For those who lose, bring comfort and give them grace for their actions.
Draw near to all those in the Natural State who are tempted toward anxiety, anger, or despair. Guard their hearts with a peace that this political moment cannot give. No candidate or ballot decision usurps your sovereignty or thwarts your good purposes.
Amen.