Linda Chesterfield
Linda Pondexter Chesterfield (Democratic Party) was a member of the Arkansas State Senate, representing District 12. She assumed office on January 9, 2023. She left office on January 13, 2025.
Chesterfield (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Arkansas State Senate to represent District 12. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
On August 23, 2023, Chesterfield announced she would not seek re-election to the Arkansas State Senate District 12.[1]
Biography
Linda Chesterfield was born in Hope, Arkansas. Chesterfield graduated from Henry Clay Yerger High School in 1965. She earned a degree from Hendrix College and a master's degree in engineering from Ouachita Baptist University.[2]
Chesterfield's career experience includes working as a teacher. She served as the president of the Little Rock School Board, the Pulaski County Association of Classroom Teachers, and the Arkansas Education Association.[2]
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Chesterfield was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Education Committee, Vice Chair
- Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs Committee
- Senate Efficiency Committee
- Joint Budget Committee
- Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
- Public Retirement and Social Security Programs Committee
- Legislative Joint Auditing Committee
2021-2022
Chesterfield was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Education Committee
- Senate Efficiency Committee
- Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs Committee
- Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
- Girls State Committee
- Joint Budget Committee
- Legislative Council
- Legislative Facilities Committee
- Legislative Joint Auditing Committee
- Public Retirement and Social Security Programs Committee, Vice-chair
2019-2020
Chesterfield was assigned to the following committees:
- Joint Budget Committee
- Academic Facilities Oversight Committee
- Joint Energy Committee
- Legislative Council
- Legislative Facilities Committee
- Senate Education Committee
- Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee
- Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Arkansas committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs |
| • Joint Budget |
| • Joint Budget |
| • Public Retirement and Social Security Programs |
| • Public Retirement and Social Security Programs |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Chesterfield served on the following committees:
| Arkansas committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Children and Youth |
| • Judiciary |
| • State Agencies and Governmental Affairs |
| • Efficiency, Chair |
| • Legislative Facilities |
| • Joint Budget |
| • Legislative Council |
| • Legislative Joint Auditing, Vice chair |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Chesterfield served on the following committees:
| Arkansas committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Joint Energy, Chair |
| • Legislative Joint Auditing, Vice Chair |
| • Legislative Council |
| • Public Health, Welfare and Labor |
| • Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs |
| • Children and Youth |
| • Economic and Tax Policy |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Chesterfield served on these committees:
| Arkansas committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Legislative Council |
| • Joint Budget |
| • Children and Youth |
| • Legislative Joint Auditing |
| • Revenue and Taxation |
| • Rules, Resolutions and Memorials |
| • Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs, Chair |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
- See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2024
Linda Chesterfield did not file to run for re-election.
2022
See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Arkansas State Senate District 12
Incumbent Linda Pondexter Chesterfield won election in the general election for Arkansas State Senate District 12 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Linda Pondexter Chesterfield (D) | 100.0 | 15,990 |
| Total votes: 15,990 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Linda Pondexter Chesterfield advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas State Senate District 12.
Republican primary election
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Wil Cheatham (R)
2018
- See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2018
General election
The general election was canceled. Incumbent Linda Pondexter Chesterfield won election in the general election for Arkansas State Senate District 30.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arkansas State Senate District 30
Incumbent Linda Pondexter Chesterfield defeated James Pendleton in the Democratic primary for Arkansas State Senate District 30 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Linda Pondexter Chesterfield | 67.9 | 3,679 |
| James Pendleton | 32.1 | 1,736 | ||
| Total votes: 5,415 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2014
- See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Arkansas State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014; a runoff election took place on June 10, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 3, 2014. Incumbent Linda Chesterfield was unopposed in the Democratic primary and was unchallenged in the general election.[3][4]
2012
- See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2012
Chesterfield ran for re-election in the 2012 election for Arkansas Senate, District 30. Chesterfield ran unopposed in the May 22 Democratic primary and ran unopposed in the general election on November 6, 2012.[5][6][7]
2010
- See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2010
Chesterfield defeated Jay Barth in the May 18 primary. She then ran unopposed in the general election.[8][9]
| Arkansas State Senate, District 34 Democratic Primary (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
 Linda Pondexter Chesterfield (D)
|
4,588 | |||
| Jay Barth (D) | 2,769 | |||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Linda Pondexter Chesterfield did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2024.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2023.
- Arkansas Farm Bureau — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to agriculture.
- Conduit for Commerce — Legislators are scored on whether their votes on bills deliver "more economic freedom for all Arkansans."
- Family Council Action Committee — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to "promoting, protecting, and strengthening traditional family values."
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2022.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2021.
- Arkansas Farm Bureau — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to agriculture.
- Conduit for Commerce — Legislators are scored on whether their votes on bills deliver "more economic freedom for all Arkansans."
- Family Council Action Committee — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to "promoting, protecting, and strengthening traditional family values."
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2020.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2019.
- Americans for Prosperity - Arkansas — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Conduit for Commerce — Legislators are scored on whether their votes on bills deliver "more economic freedom for all Arkansans."
- Family Council Action Committee — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to "promoting, protecting, and strengthening traditional family values."
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2018.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2017.
- Americans for Prosperity - Arkansas — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Conduit for Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to conservative issues with "a focus on small business."
- Family Council Action Committee — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to social issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2016.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2015.
- Arkansas Citizens First Congress — Legislators are scored on the bills that the Arkansas Citizens First Congress found most important.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
In 2014, the Arkansas General Assembly was either not in session or no scorecards were found. Please contact us if you would like to suggest a scorecard.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2013.
- Advance Arkansas Institute — Legislators are scored on their votes on the principles the organization seeks to promote, which the Advance Arkansas Institute lists as "free markets, individual liberty and limited transparent government."
- Arkansas Citizens First Congress — Legislators are scored on the bills that the Arkansas Citizens First Congress found most important.
- Arkansas Learns — Legislators are scored on the bills specifically supported by Arkansas Learns.
- National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2012.
- Advance Arkansas Institute — Legislators are scored on their votes on the principles the organization seeks to promote, which the Advance Arkansas Institute lists as "free markets, individual liberty and limited transparent government."
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Arkansas General Assembly in 2011.
- Arkansas Citizens First Congress — Legislators are scored on the bills that the Arkansas Citizens First Congress found most important.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ ‘’State senator Chesterfield won’t seek reelection, throws support to Scott,” August 24, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Arkansas Senate, "Linda Chesterfield," accessed April 4, 2023
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information," accessed March 5, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 26, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Election Results 2012," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2012 Election candidates," March 8, 2012
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Official 2012 Primary Results," accessed December 20, 2013
- ↑ VoteNaturally.org, "Primary results," accessed May 12, 2014
- ↑ Vote Naturally, "General election results," accessed May 13, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Charles Beckham (R) |
Arkansas State Senate District 12 2023-2025 |
Succeeded by Jamie Scott (D) |
| Preceded by - |
Arkansas State Senate District 30 2011-2023 |
Succeeded by Greg Leding (D) |
| Preceded by - |
Arkansas House of Representatives District 36 2002-2008 |
Succeeded by - |
