Arkansas – On October 31, 2025, the 14th Division of the 6th Circuit Court ordered a special election for State Representative for District 70 to be held on March 3, 2026, an action Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated was in violation of Arkansas law. In response, the Governor issued an updated schedule for both the District 70 State Representative race and the District 26 State Senate race.
Governor Sanders said the court ruling required special election dates that would not allow overseas military voters enough time to receive and return ballots, a violation of state law. She noted her objection to the order, explaining that she would comply while maintaining confidence that the Governor’s authority to set special election dates would be upheld on appeal.
The Governor’s proclamation outlined the circumstances leading to the vacancy in District 70, including the September 30 resignation of State Representative Carlton Wing. It further stated that the court’s directive contradicted statutory requirements and imposed election dates traditionally set by the Governor under Article V, Section 6 of the Arkansas Constitution.
Despite her objections, Governor Sanders established the following election schedule for District 70 to comply with the court’s mandate:
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A special election on March 3, 2026
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A special primary election on January 6, 2026
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A special primary runoff, if needed, on February 3, 2026
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Candidate filing periods running from November 3 to November 12, 2025
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Independent candidate petition submissions due November 26, 2025
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Certification deadlines extending through March 13, 2026
A parallel proclamation addressed the vacancy in State Senate District 26 created by the September 2 passing of Senator Gary Stubblefield. The Governor stated that a separate court ruling also unlawfully required revised dates for that special election. To ensure consistency, she aligned the District 26 schedule with the dates ordered for District 70.
Both proclamations emphasized that the new timelines were issued under protest, citing concerns that they disregarded statutory deadlines and jeopardized voting access for Arkansas citizens serving overseas.
The updated schedules will guide the upcoming special elections while the Governor continues to challenge the court’s directives through the appeals process.