Arkansas reaches filing deadline

March 15, 2012

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas: The filing deadline for the 2012 state legislative election in Arkansas was on March 1, 2012. A total of 64 candidates filed to run for the senate elections, while 177 filed to run in the house elections. Eleven incumbents are not running for re-election to the senate, ten of whom are termed out in 2012, while 35 incumbents are retiring from the house, 23 of whom are ineligible to run because of term limits.

The battles for State Senate and State House partisan control are likely to be hotly contested this year. Currently, the Democrats hold a 10-seat advantage in the Arkansas House of Representatives and a 5-seat advantage in the Arkansas State Senate. Republicans made large gains in both chambers in 2010, picking up 7 seats in the senate and 17 in the house, and are hoping to gain control of both chambers in 2012.

Arkansas State Senate
Party		As of November 5, 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	20	14
	Republican Party	15	21
Total		35	35

Arkansas House of Representatives
Party		As of November 5, 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	54	49
	Republican Party	46	51
Total		100	100