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Arkansas elections, 2016
Welcome to the Arkansas elections portal for 2016. Scroll down for information about what was on the ballot, election dates, voting, and more. Arkansas saw elections for the offices listed below in 2016. Click the links to navigate to Ballotpedia's overview pages for each of these elections, where you will find background, candidate lists, dates, analysis, and more.
Election results
As a result of the 2016 elections, Arkansas maintained a Republican trifecta—meaning the Republican Party held control of the governorship, the state Senate, and the state House. Republicans gained two seats in the state Senate for a total of 26 seats to Democrats' 9 seats. Republicans also gained nine seats in the state House for a total of 73 seats to Democrats' 27 seats.
In 2016, Arkansas had two U.S. Senate seats and four U.S. House seats. John Boozman (R) won re-election to the U.S. Senate in November 2016. All of the U.S. House seats were also up for election in November, and all four seats were won by Republicans.
In 2016, Arkansas was one of 26 states, as well as Washington, D.C., that offered initiative and/or veto referendum rights for its citizens. Four statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in 2016, and all four were approved.
Donald Trump won Arkansas' six electoral votes in the general election for president. Mitt Romney carried Arkansas in the 2012 presidential election. See also: Presidential election in Arkansas, 2016.
Voting
| Dates | |
|---|---|
| Presidential primary dates | |
| Arkansas election dates | |
| 3/1/2016 | State and presidential primary |
| 3/1/2016 | Judicial election |
| 11/8/2016 | General election (nationwide) |
| Ballot access dates | |
| 9/3/2015 | Deadline for new political parties to file qualifying paperwork |
| 11/2/2015 | Filing period for party candidates opens at 12:00 p.m.; filing period for nonpartisan candidates opens at 3:00 p.m.; filing period opens for independent and write-in candidates |
| 11/9/2015 | Filing period for party candidates closes at 12:00 p.m.; filing period for nonpartisan candidates closes at 3:00 p.m.; filing period closes for independent and write-in candidates; judicial filing deadline |
Find answers to common questions about voting in Arkansas below.
- How do I register to vote?
- Is there an early voting period?
- Who is eligible for absentee voting?
- What are the voter ID laws in Arkansas?
- What time were the polls open?
General information about voting or getting on the ballot is provided at the following links.
Official elections page: Arkansas Secretary of State - Elections
Primary election
See Primary elections in Arkansas.
Elections to watch
- Arkansas Gubernatorial Power When Governor is Absent from State, Issue 2 (2016)
- Arkansas Removal of Cap on Bonds, Issue 3 (2016)
- Arkansas Increase in Length of Term in Office for Some County Officials, Issue 1 (2016)
What makes an election notable?
History
Presidential Voting Pattern
The percentages below show Arkansas voter preference in general election presidential races from 2000 to 2012.[1]
For more information, see: Presidential voting trends in Arkansas.
Arkansas vote percentages
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U.S. vote percentages
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See also
Footnotes
Ballotpedia uses these criteria to identify notable elections:
- Incumbents facing more conservative or liberal challengers
- Rematches between candidates
- Elections that receive considerable media attention
- Elections that could significantly affect the state's partisan balance
- Noteworthy elections involving party leaders
- Open, competitive elections with Republican and Democratic primaries
- Elections that capture money and attention from outside groups, including key endorsements
