Arkansas will kick off the 2026 election cycle on Monday, when the weeklong candidate filing period begins at the State Capitol and county courthouses across the state.
Party candidates can file starting at noon, while nonpartisan judicial and prosecutorial candidates may begin filing at 3 p.m. Filing closes the following week on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the same times.
Candidates for federal and statewide offices, state legislative seats, and nonpartisan judicial or prosecutorial posts submit paperwork to the Secretary of State in Little Rock. Candidates for county and municipal offices file locally with their county clerk. Many county election offices provide filing packets and guidance on the same statewide timeline.
In Baxter County, candidates for county or municipal offices must file with the county clerk at the Baxter County Courthouse.
The filing period sets the stage for Arkansas’ Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan General Election on March 3, 2026, with early voting starting Feb. 16. School board elections, now held in even-numbered years under Act 503, will also be conducted alongside the March primary.
Voters and potential candidates should check with the Secretary of State and local county offices for specific filing requirements, hours, and fees.
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