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Arkansas Supreme Court elections
There are seven justices on the Arkansas Supreme Court. In Arkansas, judges are elected for eight-year terms in nonpartisan elections. Vacancies are filled by interim appointments by the governor, and appointed judges may not run to succeed themselves in the next election. For more information about these elections, visit the Arkansas judicial elections page.
Judicial selection
The seven justices on the Arkansas Supreme Court are selected through nonpartisan elections. They compete in nonpartisan general elections—occurring at the same time as the primary elections for other state officials—in which the candidate who receives more than 50 percent of the vote wins the seat. If no candidate garners a majority of the vote, the top two candidates compete in a runoff during the November general election.[1] The winners are elected to eight-year terms.[1] QualificationsTo serve on this court, a justice must be:[2]
Chief justiceThe court's chief justice is selected by voters at large and serves in that capacity for a full eight-year term.[3] VacanciesIn the event of a midterm vacancy, an interim judge is selected by the governor to fill the empty seat. If the open seat would have been filled at the next general election if the vacancy did not occur, the appointed justice will serve the remainder of the unexpired term. If the open seat would not have been regularly filled at the next general election, the appointee will serve until the next general election if the vacancy occurred more than four months prior to the election. If the vacancy occurs less than four months prior to the next general election, then the justice will serve until the second succeeding general election. A justice appointed by the governor to serve an unexpired term is ineligible to run for re-election to their seat.[1] The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country. Elections2024
Chief JusticeGeneral runoff electionGeneral runoff election for Arkansas Supreme Court Chief JusticeKaren R. Baker defeated Rhonda Wood in the general runoff election for Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice on November 5, 2024.
General electionGeneral election for Arkansas Supreme Court Chief JusticeKaren R. Baker and Rhonda Wood advanced to a runoff. They defeated Barbara Webb and Jay Martin in the general election for Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice on March 5, 2024.
Position 2General electionSpecial general election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 2Incumbent Courtney Rae Hudson defeated Carlton D. Jones in the special general election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 2 on March 5, 2024.
Position 5General electionThe general election was canceled. Shawn Womack (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot. 2022
Position 2General runoff electionGeneral runoff election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 2Incumbent Robin Wynne defeated Chris Carnahan in the general runoff election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 2 on November 8, 2022.
General electionGeneral election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 2Incumbent Robin Wynne and Chris Carnahan advanced to a runoff. They defeated David Sterling in the general election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 2 on May 24, 2022.
Position 6General electionGeneral election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 6Incumbent Karen R. Baker defeated Gunner DeLay in the general election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 6 on May 24, 2022.
Position 7General electionThe general election was canceled. Rhonda Wood (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot. 2020
General electionGeneral election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 4Barbara Webb defeated Morgan Welch in the general election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 4 on March 3, 2020.
2018
General runoff electionGeneral runoff election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 3
General electionGeneral election for Arkansas Supreme Court Position 3
2016
Two seats on the Arkansas Supreme Court were on the general election ballot for March 1, 2016. The elections filled the seats set to be vacated by Paul Danielson's retirement at the end of his term and Howard Brill's ineligibility to run for re-election.[4] CandidatesChief Justice Position 1
■ Circuit Judge John Dan Kemp Associate Justice Position 5
■ Attorney Clark W. Mason Election resultsMarch 1 primary
2014See also: Arkansas judicial elections, 2014 Position 2
2012See also: Arkansas judicial elections, 2012
2010During the 2010 preferential primary and nonpartisan general judicial election, John Fogleman and Courtney Henry ran for associate justice, Position 3, an open seat. Karen Baker, Tim Fox and Evelyn Moorehead ran for associate justice, Position 6, also an open seat. Karen Baker and Tim Fox went on to a runoff election for the seat because neither candidate received over 50 percent of the votes cast.[5]
2008The state of Arkansas held a preferential primary election and nonpartisan judicial general election on Tuesday, May 20, 2008. Incumbent Chief Justice Jim Hannah and incumbent Associate Justice Paul Danielson ran unopposed.[11]
2006The state of Arkansas held a preferential primary election & non partisan judicial general election on Tuesday, May 23, 2006. Roger Harrod ran for associate justice, Position 2, against Incumbent Associate Justice Donald Corbin. Paul E. Danielson and Wendell Griffen. Incumbent Associate Justice Annabelle Clinton Imber and incumbent Associate Justice Robert L. Brown ran unopposed.[11]
2004The state of Arkansas held a preferential primary & nonpartisan judicial election on Tuesday, May 18, 2004. Wendell Griffen and Associate Justice Jim Hannah ran for the chief justice seat. Paul Danielson, Jim Gunter and Collins Kilgore ran for an open associate justice seat.[11]
2002Associate Justice Tom Glaze ran unopposed to retain his seat in the 2002 preferential primary and nonpartisan judicial election, held on May 21, 2002.[11]
2000The state of Arkansas held a primary election on Tuesday, May 23, 2000. Incumbent Chief Justice W.H. Arnold ran unopposed. Jim Hannah, K. Max Koonce, II, J. Brent Standridge and Keith Watkins all ran in a primary election for associate justice, Position 5, an open seat. Since none of the candidates won more than 50 percent of the votes cast, Jim Hannah and K. Max Koonce, II ran against each other in a runoff election on November 7, 2000.[11]
1998In a general election on November 3, 1998, Judge Frank Arey ran against incumbent Justice Donald L. Corbin for Associate Justice, Position 2. Two incumbents, Justice Annabelle Clinton Imber and Justice Robert L. Brown, ran unopposed.[11]
1996The state of Arkansas held a general election on November 5, 1996. Incumbent W.H Arnold ran unopposed for chief justice, while Associate Justices Annabelle Clinton Imber and Ray Thornton each ran unopposed to retain their seats.[11]
1994Associate Justice Tom Glaze ran unopposed to retain his seat in the general election held on November 8, 1994.[11]
1992Chief Justice Jack Holt, Jr. ran unopposed to retain his seat in the general election, held on Tuesday, November 3, 1992. Judge David Newbern and Scott Manatt ran for associate justice, Position 5, an open seat.[11]
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Arkansas Judiciary, "Arkansas Supreme Court," accessed March 27, 2023 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ssc" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Services, "Ark. Const. Amendment 80, §16," accessed April 15, 2025
- ↑ Justia, "Arkansas Constitution - Amendment 80 - Qualifications of justices and judges.," accessed March 27, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Arkansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information: 2016 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan General Election," accessed December 29, 2015
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Election Results, Custom Past Election Results," accessed June 11, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, Candidate Summary, Karen Baker
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, John Fogleman"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, Tim Fox"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, Courtney Henry"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, Evelyn Moorehead"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 Arkansas Secretary of State, "Election Results, Historical Election Results," accessed June 11, 2013
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Follow the Money.org, Candidate Summary, Paul Danielson
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Follow the Money.org, Candidate Summary, Jim Hannah
- ↑ Donald Corbin
- ↑ Judge Roger Harrod, Arkansas Supreme Court, May 23 Ballot "Achievement in law," accessed June 12, 2013
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Associate Justice Paul E. Danielson, Biography"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, Donald Corbin"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, Roger Harrod"
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, Wendell Griffen"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, Annabelle Clinton Imber"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, Robert L. Brown"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, ""Candidate Summary, Jim Gunter""
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, ""Candidate Summary, Collins Kilgore""
- ↑ Arkansas Times, Arkansas Blog, "Justice Tom Glaze dies," March 30, 2012
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, ""Candidate Summary, Tom Glaze""
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, K. Max Koonce"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, J. Brent Standridge"
- ↑ Follow the Money.org, "Candidate Summary, Keith Watkins"
- ↑ Arkansas Times, Arkansas Blog, "Justice Tom Glaze dies," March 30, 2012
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Arkansas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Arkansas
State courts:
Arkansas Supreme Court • Arkansas Court of Appeals • Arkansas Circuit Courts • Arkansas District Courts • Arkansas City Courts
State resources:
Courts in Arkansas • Arkansas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Arkansas
