Little Rock, Arkansas – Arkansas voters in State Senate District 1 will head to the polls later this year after Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders officially called a special election to fill the legislative seat left vacant by the resignation of Senator Ben Gilmore.
The governor issued a formal proclamation establishing the election timeline after Gilmore stepped down from office effective June 30, 2026. His departure created a vacancy in the Arkansas General Assembly, triggering the legal process for selecting a replacement.
Under Arkansas law, the governor is responsible for issuing the writ of election and setting the dates for special elections when vacancies occur in the General Assembly. The proclamation states that the election schedule has been established in accordance with state law, which requires the process to begin as soon as possible after a vacancy arises.
Election calendar and filing deadlines announced
Governor Sanders set the special election for Tuesday, November 3, 2026, when voters in Senate District 1 will choose a new state senator to complete the vacant term.
Before that election takes place, political parties will hold a special primary election on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
If no candidate wins outright and a runoff becomes necessary, a special primary runoff election will be held on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Candidates seeking the nomination of a political party, along with any independent candidates planning to run in the special election, will have a limited filing period.
The filing window opens at 12:00 noon on Monday, July 13, 2026, and closes at 12:00 noon on Thursday, July 16, 2026. During that time, candidates must submit the required notices of candidacy, political practices pledges, and affidavits of eligibility to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office.
Political parties must issue certificates of nomination by 12:00 noon on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, and candidates must officially file those certificates no later than 5:00 p.m. that same day.
Independent candidates face additional requirements. Petitions supporting their candidacies must be submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office in Little Rock by 12:00 noon on Friday, August 7, 2026. Petition signatures may be gathered beginning Friday, July 17, through the filing deadline. The proclamation also notes that the number of required signatures will be reduced proportionately under Arkansas law.
The drawing for ballot positions in the special primary election must take place on or before Tuesday, July 21, 2026, while the ballot drawing for the special election itself must occur on or before Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
County election officials will certify the results of the special primary election by Friday, August 28, 2026. If a runoff is necessary, those results must be certified by Monday, September 21, 2026.
Following the November special election, county boards of election commissioners are required to certify the final results on or before Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
The proclamation further states that any election deadlines or procedures not specifically addressed will continue to follow Arkansas election law.
With the election calendar now established, prospective candidates can begin preparing their campaigns while voters in Senate District 1 look ahead to selecting a new representative following Senator Ben Gilmore’s resignation.
