Sanders previously set June 9 for a special election to fill the Senate vacancy created when Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, died Sept. 2.
At least two Democrats and one Republican have said they intend to run for Wing’s vacant seat. Four Republicans have said they’ll run for the Senate District 26 seat left by Stubblefield.
Sanders’ proclamation on Friday set the party primary elections for March 3, the same day as other state primaries.
State law requires the governor to call a special election to fill a legislative vacancy as soon as possible after the seat is vacated. The law also requires the special election to be held within 150 days unless it is impractical or “unduly burdensome” to do so, which Sanders said it would be.
Sanders made the same determination in setting the primary and general election dates to fill the Senate seat and drew criticism from some Republicans and the state Democratic party, who said the dates deprive District 26 residents of a voice in the legislature’s fiscal session in April.
A resident of the Franklin County portion of District 26 filed a lawsuit Monday, asking a Pulaski County judge to move up the special election to December so the district’s voters can be represented in the 2026 fiscal session. Lawmakers likely will consider funding for construction of a controversial state prison in Franklin County during the session.
Micah Wallace, a resident of District 70 and the spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Arkansas, condemned Sanders’ decision to again deprive voters of a voice in the fiscal session.
“It is absolutely outrageous and infuriating to now be among the 30,000 residents in House District 70 that Sarah Sanders is brazenly depriving of representation in the state legislature,” Wallace said in a statement released by the party.
Democratic Party Chair retired Col. Marcus Jones said the issue is “beyond Democrat or Republican; this is about right and wrong.”
Sanders is wrong, Jones said in the statement.
“We refuse to let the governor hide behind pathetic excuses for why she can’t fulfill her constitutional duty to hold a special election and let voters decide. She is imposing taxation without representation, plain and simple, refusing to give Arkansans a say in our state budget that will be decided on in April,” he said.
The filing period for candidates in the House race will begin at noon on Nov. 3 and end at noon on Nov. 12, according to Sanders’ proclamation. The political parties must issue certificates of nomination by noon on April 10, and the candidates must file the certificates by 5 p.m. on April 13.
Any Independent candidates for the special election must submit their notices of candidacy, political practices pledges, affidavits of eligibility and petitions to the Secretary of State’s office by noon on April 13.
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