Election policy in Arkansas
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| Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its election administration. |
Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.
Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in Arkansas:
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In Arkansas, all polls are open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]
Voter registration
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Arkansas, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Arkansas. A voter must be 18 years of age or older on or before Election Day, not be a convicted felon whose sentence has not been discharged or pardoned, and not be adjudged as mentally incompetent.[3]
Registration must be submitted or postmarked no later than 30 days before the election in which a voter wishes to participate. Citizens must complete and submit a voter registration application to their county clerk or other authorized voter registration agency. For voters that submit applications by mail, the date of postmark will be considered the submission date. Applications may be obtained at the following locations:[3]
- County clerk's office
- The Arkansas Secretary of State Elections Division
- Local revenue or DMV office
- Public library
- Disability agency
- Military recruitment office
- Online
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter registration
Arkansas does not practice automatic voter registration.[4]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Arkansas does not permit online voter registration.
Same-day registration
- See also: Same-day voter registration
Arkansas does not allow same-day voter registration.[5]
Residency requirements
Arkansas law requires 30 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.[6]
Verification of citizenship
Arkansas does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who provides false information "may be subject to a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 10 years under state and federal laws."[7]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[8] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The site Voter View, run by the Arkansas Secretary of State's office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
Arkansas permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting allows citizens to cast their ballots in person at a polling place before an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not offer no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
Arkansas voters are eligible to vote absentee/mail-in in an election if they cannot make it to the polls on Election Day for one of the following reasons:[9]
- The voter will be "unavoidably absent" from his or her polling location on Election Day.
- The voter is physically unable to visit his or her polling location on Election Day due to illness or physical disability.
- The voter is a member of the armed services, merchant marines, or is the spouse or dependent of such an individual and "are away from your polling location due to the member’s active duty status."
- The voter is temporarily living outside the United States.
To vote absentee/mail-in, a request must be received by elections officials either seven days before the election (if submitted by mail or fax), by the Friday before the election (if submitted in person), or by 1:30 p.m. on the day of the election if an authorized agent makes the request for a voter confined in a hospital or nursing home. The deadline to return an absentee/mail-in ballot is by close of business the Friday before the election if returned in person, or 7:30 p.m. on Election Day if submitted by mail or by an authorized agent. Military and overseas voters must complete their ballot by Election Day, and they must be received by their county clerk by 5:00 p.m., 10 days after the election.[9][10]
All states allow for some form of absentee/mail-in voting. Seven states and the District of Columbia had automatic mail-in ballot systems that mandate that all eligible voters receive an absentee/mail ballot by default. An eighth state, Vermont, had such a system for general elections only.
Twenty-eight states allow any eligible voter to cast an absentee/mail-in ballot. The remaining 14 states required voters to provide an excuse to receive and cast an absentee/mail ballot. Acceptable excuses vary by state.
Returning absentee/mail-in ballots
Voters in Arkansas can return their absentee/mail-in ballot to their county clerk in one of the following ways:[9]
- In person: absentee/mail-in ballots returned in person must be submitted to the county clerk by the close of business on the Friday before the election.
- By mail: absentee/mail-in ballots returned by mail must be received by the county clerk by 7:30 p.m. on the day of the election.
- By designated bearer: absentee/mail-in ballots returned by a voter’s designated bearer must be submitted to the county clerk by the close of business on the Friday before the election.
- By authorized agent: for voters confined to a hospital or nursing home, an authorized agent may submit the voter's absentee/mail-in ballot by 7:30 p.m. on the day of the election.
Voters in Arkansas can select anyone as their "designated bearer" to pick up or deliver their absentee/mail-in ballot or absentee/mail-in ballot application.[9] State law prohibits individuals from receiving or returning more than two absentee/mail-in ballots on behalf of other people per election.[11]
Eighteen states allow anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allow anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allow only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Ten states and D.C. do not specify who may return ballots.
Drop box availability
Arkansas law explicitly bans drop boxes, saying that "[a] county clerk, public employee, or election official shall not establish or use a drop box for the purpose of collecting absentee ballots" and that "[n]o person shall deliver an absentee ballot through a drop box."[12]
Signature requirements and cure provisions
Absentee/mail-in ballots in Arkansas include a voter statement that must be completed and signed by the voter in order for the ballot to be counted. Voters are also required to include verification of their registration or an identifying document.[13]
Arkansas does not have a cure provision, or a law providing for a process where election officials follow up with voters whose absentee/mail-in ballots contain a signature discrepancy or lack the requisite signatures.[14]
Thirty-three states have laws that include cure provisions, while 16 states do not. One state, Pennsylvania, allows counties to establish a cure process. Twenty-four states explicitly allow voters to cure their ballots after Election Day, six states require that curing take place on or before Election Day, and three states do not stipulate ballot curing timelines in statute.
Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?
Arkansas voters can use the Voter View tool provided by the Arkansas Secretary of State to check the status of their absentee/mail-in ballot.
Voter identification requirements
- See also: Voter ID in Arkansas
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Arkansas requires voters to present photo identification while voting. The identification must include the voter’s name and photograph. It must be issued by "the United States, the State of Arkansas, or an accredited postsecondary educational institution in the State of Arkansas." If the identification has an expiration date on it, it cannot have been expired for "more than four (4) years before the date of the election in which the voter seeks to vote."[3] Voters must include a copy of their photo ID when returning their absentee/mail-in ballot, though overseas military voters and their spouses are exempt from this requirement. Residents of a long-term care or residential care facility are exempt from the requirement, provided an administrator attests that the voter is a resident.[15]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of November 2025. Click here for the Arkansas Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
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Documents and identification cards that will be accepted as verification of voter registration include without limitation:
A person who is a resident of a long-term care or residential care facility licensed by the state of Arkansas is not required to verify his or her registration by presenting a document or identification card as described above when voting in person, but must provide documentation from the administrator of the facility attesting that the person is a resident of the facility.[16] |
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Voters can obtain a voter verification card at their county clerk's office: "[V]oters will be required to complete an affidavit stating they do not possess such identification, and must provide documentation containing their full legal name and date of birth, as well as documentation containing their name and residential address."[17]
Click here to learn more about the background of Arkansas' law.
Thirty-six states require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 require voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accept other forms of identification. The remaining 14 states do not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.
Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, passports, and military identification cards.
Provisional balloting for voters without ID
Voters who do not have ID while voting may cast provisional ballots. See below for provisional ballot rules.
Provisional ballot rules
Voters in Arkansas may cast provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances:[18]
- (1) If the voter's name is not on the precinct voter registration list,
- (2) If the voter is not able to meet identification requirements, or
- (3) If the voter's eligibility is challenged by a poll watcher.
If a voter is not on the precinct voter registration list, a provisional ballot is counted when:[19][20]
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(A) It is cast by a registered voter and is the correct ballot, according to the precinct listed on the voter's eligibility affirmation, for the precinct of the voter's residence; and (B) The county board of election commissioners does not determine that the provisional ballot is invalid and should not be counted based on other grounds.[16] |
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If a voter does not provide identification, a provisional ballot is counted when:
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(1) The voter returns to the county board of election commissioners or the county clerk by 12:00 noon on the Monday following the election and presents a document or identification card that complies with the requirements of Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 51, § 13; and (2) The county board of election commissioners does not determine that the provisional ballot is invalid and should not be counted based on other grounds.[16] |
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Was your provisional ballot counted?
The Arkansas Secretary of State website says that an election official "shall provide the voter with written instructions on how to determine whether or not the provisional vote was counted, and, if not, the reason the vote was not counted. (In most cases, the election commission will mail a notice to the voter.)"[18]
Primary election type
- See also: Primary elections in Arkansas
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Arkansas utilizes an open primary system. Registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[21][22]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Time off work for voting
In Arkansas, employers are required to schedule employees' work so that "each employee will have an opportunity to exercise the right of franchise." Employers can be fined between $25 to $250 for noncompliance:
| “ | Each employer in the state shall schedule the work hours of employees on election days so that each employee will have an opportunity to exercise the right of franchise. Any employer who fails or refuses to comply with the provisions of this section shall upon conviction be subject to a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250).[23][16] | ” |
Twenty-eight states require employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies vary as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.
Electioneering
Arkansas law prohibits electioneering inside a polling place or within 100 feet of its primary exterior entrance. Electioneering is defined as:[24]
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[T]he display of or audible dissemination of information that advocates for or against any candidate, issue, or measure on a ballot.
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An election official "acting in his or her official capacity shall not do any electioneering" on Election Day or any day in which early voting is held, in a building where voting is taking place, or within 100 feet of a polling place entrance. Violation of this law is punishable by a Class A misdemeanor.[24]
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
In Arkansas, people convicted of a felony whose sentences have not been discharged or pardoned may not register to vote. Their right to vote is automatically restored upon completion of the entire sentence, including parole or probation.[25]
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[26]
Voter list maintenance
All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls, or check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).[27] The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to a change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.[28]
When names can be removed from the voter list
Arkansas law states that each county clerk will remove names from the voter list if the person:[29]
- remains on the inactive voter list and does not vote or update their registration in the two following general elections
- changes their residence to an address outside of the county
- dies
- is convicted of a felony
- is not a lawfully qualified or registered elector of the state or county
- is adjudged to be mentally incompetent.
Inactive voter list rules
Arkansas law states that county clerks will use change of address data "received from the United States Postal Service or its licensees, or other unconfirmed data indicating that a registered voter no longer resides at his or her registered address" and will "send a forwardable address confirmation notice, including a postage-paid and preaddressed return card, to enable the voter to verify or correct the address information." A county clerk may designate "the voter as inactive if the information indicates the voter has moved to a new address in another county or to a new address in another congressional district in the same county or if the address confirmation notices have been returned as undeliverable."
Inactive voters’ registrations are canceled if they do not vote or update their registration in the two subsequent general elections. [29]
The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)
According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."[30]
Twenty-five states are participating members in the ERIC program. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have joined and participated in ERIC at some point.[31]
As of November 2025, Arkansas was not a participating member in ERIC.[32]
Post-election auditing
Arkansas state law requires post-election audits. The State Board of Election Commissioners is required to select by lot a "sufficient number of early voting locations, polling sites, and vote centers to obtain a meaningful sample" within 60 days of the general election. The state board audits the results using the voter-verified paper audit trail. If a discrepancy is found during a post-election audit, a report is created, but it does not change the outcome of an election. Counties that do not respond to a request for documents or records as part of an audit can lose access to state-funded election expenses for up to two years.[33] The state board also conducts an annual audit of voter registration data.[33]
Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.[34][35]
Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.
Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia require some form of post-election audit by law. Of these, 35 states and the District of Columbia require traditional post-election audits, while seven states require risk-limiting post-election audits, and seven states require some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.[36][34]
Election administration authorities
State election officials
In Arkansas, the secretary of state and State Board of Election Commissioners share election administration responsibilities.[37][38]
The secretary of state is elected by popular vote every four years. According to the Arkansas Secretary of State, the office's elections division helps "ensure compliance with federal election laws such as the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act," maintains the statewide voter registration system, and conducts training on voting machines.[37]
The State Board of Election Commissioners carries out the following activities:[38]
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The mission of the Board is to improve the orderly conduct of elections in the State by promoting fair and orderly election procedures through education, assistance, and monitoring. The Board develops resources to educate and assist candidates and county election administrators, develops specialized training programs, conducts and coordinates statewide training of county election commissioners and election officials, monitors compliance by local election authorities with federal and state election laws, investigates complaints of alleged election misconduct and election law violations, and distributes funds to the counties for state-supported political party primary elections, nonpartisan judicial general elections, special primary elections, and statewide special elections.[16] |
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The board has seven members: the secretary of state, who serves as chair, two members appointed by the governor and one member each appointed by the chairs of the state Democratic and Republican parties, the president pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate, and the speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives.[38]
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Noteworthy events
Eighth Circuit reinstates rule prohibiting electronic signatures for voter registration (2024)
On September 15, 2024, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a district court order prohibiting a rule that required voter registration applications to be signed by hand from remaining in effect while the rule was challenged in court.[39] Judge Timothy Brooks of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas issued the preliminary injunction of the rule on August 29. The Eighth Circuit's September 15 administrative stay had the effect of reinstating the rule while the case was being litigated.[40]
On May 2, 2024, the Arkansas Legislative Council’s Executive Subcommittee approved an emergency rule proposed by the State Board of Election Commissioners to prohibit the use of electronic signatures for voter registration except at the state Department of Motor Vehicles and other eligible state agencies.[41] Arkansas officials said the rule change required "wet signatures," or signatures completed by hand, for voter registration. The emergency rule took effect on May 4 and expired after 120 days.[41] On August 22, the Arkansas Legislative Council’s Administrative Rules Subcommittee approved a permanent version of the rule.[42]
After the passage of the emergency rule, Get Loud Arkansas, a third-party voter registration organization, challenged the rule in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, arguing that it violated the Materiality Provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.[40] That lawsuit was joined by Vote.org, which described itself as a "nonprofit, nonpartisan voting registration and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) technology platform."[43]
On August 29, Judge Timothy Brooks issued a preliminary injunction blocking the implementation of the rule. In the order, Brooks found that the rule likely violated the Materiality Provision of the Civil Rights Act, which states that "'No person acting under color of law shall . . . deny the right of any individual to vote in any election because of an error or omission' that is 'not material in determining whether such individual is qualified' to vote."[44] The injunction was blocked by the appeals court's stay on September 15. Chris Madison, director of the state Board of Election Commissioners, said that voter registration applications completed between the preliminary injunction and the subsequent stay order were eligible to use electronic signatures.[39]
Arkansas Supreme Court upholds voter ID law (2018)
In March 2017, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) signed into law a bill requiring voters to present photo identification at the polls. At the time, the law allowed a voter who did not possess the required form of identification to cast a provisional ballot after signing a sworn statement attesting to his or her identity. In June 2017, the State Board of Election Commissioners approved rules that created, according to the Associated Press, "a new sort of provisional ballot that's automatically counted unless there's a red flag."[45][46]
On April 26, 2018, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Alice Gray issued a preliminary injunction barring the state from enforcing its voter ID law. The request for the preliminary injunction was made by Barry Haas, an Arkansas voter who alleged that the law was unconstitutional. Gray wrote the following in her order: "Plaintiff is faced with the choice of complying with the unconstitutional requirements imposed by [the voter ID law] or not having his ballot counted during the May 2018 preferential primary. The court finds that this is not really a choice at all, and that irreparable harm would result to plaintiff in the absence of a preliminary injunction, as his ballot will not be counted."[47]
Jeff Priebe, an attorney for Haas, praised the ruling: "We're very pleased with the court's very well-reasoned and thorough opinion. We're still analyzing the opinion, but we're happy the court has decided to protect the voting rights of all Arkansans in the upcoming primary election." On April 27, 2018, Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin (R) and the State Board of Election Commissioners appealed Gray's ruling to the Arkansas Supreme Court. Martin issued a statement criticizing Gray's ruling: "Changing the rules in the middle of an election is irresponsible and creates confusion for voters. It is our job to uphold the law and to conduct a secure election. Presenting identification is required for almost all facets of American life. Securing the integrity of our electoral system is vitally important."[47][48]
On May 2, 2018, the Arkansas Supreme Court voted 6 to 1 to stay Gray's order, permitting the state to enforce its voter identification law in the May 22, 2018, primary election. Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R) said the following in a statement: "I am very pleased that the Arkansas Supreme Court agreed with the arguments we made on behalf of the State Board of Election Commissioners that the requirement that a voter show photographic identification or sign a statement affirming his or her identity as a registered voter is not burdensome and helps ensure free and fair elections. The stay issued this afternoon provides needed clarity for Arkansas voters and election officials." Priebe said, "We are disappointed for the voters in Arkansas that the Arkansas Secretary of State and the Attorney General continue to want to enforce an unconstitutional Voter ID Law. We look forward to presenting the whole case to the Arkansas Supreme Court."[49] On October 11, 2018, the Arkansas Supreme Court voted 5 to 2 to uphold the state's voter ID law, allowing for its enforcement in the November 6, 2018, elections and thereafter.[50]
Election policy ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Arkansas.
- Arkansas Campaign Contribution Limits and Disclosure, Proposed Initiated Act 1 (1996)
- Arkansas Establishment of Date for Proposed Constitution Vote, Referred Question Act 3 (1978)
- Arkansas Standards of Conduct for Candidates and Political Campaigns, Proposed Initiated Act 1 (1990)
- Arkansas Poll Tax Repeal, Proposed Amendment 54 (1964)
- Arkansas Legislative Authority to Submit Ballot Measures, Proposed Amendment 54 (1968)
- Arkansas Political Party Registration, Referred Act 457 (1968)
- Arkansas Primary Laws, Act 1 (1916)
- Arkansas Consolidation of Elections, Act 1 (1926)
- Arkansas Poll Tax Elimination, Proposed Amendment 26 (1938)
- Arkansas Repeal of Double Primary, Proposed Amendment 30 (1940)
- Arkansas Direct Political Party Response, Initiated Act No. 3 (1948)
- Arkansas Poll Tax Exemption, Proposed Amendment 37 (1944)
- Arkansas Election of County Clerks, Amendment 41 (1952)
- Arkansas Authorization of Non-Elected Revenue Bonds, Proposed Amendment 67 (1986)
- Arkansas Voting and Elections, Proposed Amendment 1 (2008)
The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Arkansas. The following information is included for each bill:
- State
- Bill number
- Official bill name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Sponsor party
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
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These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.
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The newsletter tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballot access
In order to get on the ballot in Arkansas, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.
There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- An individual can run as a write-in candidate.
This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Arkansas. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).
Redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Arkansas
Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Arkansas' four United States Representatives and 135 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[51][52][53][54]
Arkansas was apportioned four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Arkansas after the 2020 census.
State process
- See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures
The Arkansas General Assembly is responsible for drawing congressional district lines. Both chambers of the state legislature must approve a single redistricting plan. The governor may veto the lines drawn by the state legislature.[55]
Arkansas' state legislative district lines are drawn by a politician commission, the Arkansas Board of Apportionment. The commission comprises the governor, the secretary of state, and the attorney general.[55]
The Arkansas Constitution requires that Arkansas State Senate district lines be "contiguous, and that they follow county lines except where necessary to comply with other legal requirements." There are no such requirements in place for congressional districts.[55]
Contact information
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Arkansas can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Arkansas County Clerks
Arkansas Secretary of State, Election Division
- State Capitol, Suite 256
- 500 Woodlane Street
- Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
- Phone: 501-682-5070
- Email: electionsemail@sos.arkansas.gov
- Website: http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/
Arkansas Ethics Commission
- Physical Address: 501 Woodlane St., Suite 301N
- Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 1917
- Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-1917
- Phone: 501-324-9600
- Toll free: 1-800-422-7773
- Fax: 501-324-9606
- Email: graham.sloan@arkansas.gov
- Website: http://www.arkansasethics.com/
Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners
- 501 Woodlane Dr., Suite 122 S
- Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
- Phone: 501-682-1834
- Toll free: 1-800-411-6996
- Fax: 501-682-1782
- Email: info.SBEC@sos.arkansas.gov
- Website: http://www.arkansas.gov/sbec/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's election coverage
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2026
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
- Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
- Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
- Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
- State legislative Democratic primaries, 2026
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2026
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
- Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
- Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2026
See also
- Election laws and legislation in Arkansas
- State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
- Factors affecting the speed of ballot counting and delivery of unofficial election results
- Voting in Arkansas
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Arkansas
- Redistricting in Arkansas
Elections in Arkansas
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-5-304," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Arkansas Secretary of State, "Voter Registration Information," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ NCSL, "Automatic Voter Registration," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ NCSL, "Same-Day Voter Registration," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Voter Registration FAQs," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Arkansas Voter Registration Application," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Arkansas Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Military and Overseas Citizens," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-5-403," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-5-411," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-5-412," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-5-417," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ FindLaw, "Arkansas Constitution of 1874 Amendment 51, § 13," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Arkansas Secretary of State, "Voting in Arkansas," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat Ann. § 7-5-308," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ Arkansas Advocate, "Arkansas Supreme Court overturns ruling challenging state election laws," May 16, 2024
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-7-307," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-7-308," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-1-102," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-1-103," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ U.S. Department of Justice, "Guide to State Voting Rules That Apply After a Criminal Conviction," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," August 19, 2025
- ↑ As of January 2026, the Justice Department notes, "Six States (Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) are exempt from the NVRA because, on and after August 1, 1994, they either had no voter-registration requirements or had election-day voter registration at polling places with respect to elections for federal office."
- ↑ The United States Department of Justice, "The National Voter Registration Act of 1993," accessed January 12, 2026
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Izard County Arkansas, "Arkansas Constitution," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ ERIC, "FAQ," accessed January 12, 2026
- ↑ ERIC, "Who We Are," accessed January 12, 2026
- ↑ ERIC, "About," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-4-121," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed January 12, 2026
- ↑ Election Assistance Commission, "Election Audits Across the United States," accessed January 12,2026
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted in October 2024, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 Arkansas Secretary of State, "Duties of the Office," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners, "About Us," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 AP News, "Court reinstates Arkansas ban of electronic signatures on voter registration forms," September 16, 2024
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Arkansas Advocate, "Appeals court issues administrative stay in Arkansas ‘wet signature’ lawsuit," September 15, 2024
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 Arkansas Advocate, "Lawmakers approve voter registration signature rule," May 2, 2024
- ↑ Arkansas Advocate, "Gender-neutral IDs prohibited, electronic voter registration limited in Arkansas," August 23, 2024
- ↑ Vote.org, "About Vote.org," accessed November 19, 2025
- ↑ Justia, "Get Loud Arkansas v. Thurston, CASE NO. 5:24-CV-5121 Memorandum Opinion and Order," August 29, 2024
- ↑ Fortune, "Arkansas Governor Signs Bill Reinstating Voter ID law," March 25, 2017
- ↑ U.S. News and World Report, "Arkansas Closer to Adopting Voter ID Law," June 22, 2017
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 AP, "Arkansas judge blocks state’s revived voter ID law," April 27, 2018
- ↑ Arkansas Online, "Order blocking Arkansas voter ID law appealed," April 28, 2018
- ↑ AP, "Arkansas Supreme Court says state can enforce voter ID law," May 2, 2018
- ↑ Associated Press, "Arkansas Supreme Court upholds revised voter ID law," October 11, 2018
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 All About Redistricting, "Arkansas," accessed April 20, 2015
