The 2024 election cycle officially begins in Arkansas on Monday with the week-long candidate filing period.
Secretary of State John Thurston plans to open the state Capitol rotunda to candidates at noon Monday.
Pomp and circumstance usually rules the first half hour, and some candidates race to be the first filers of the year.
In the week following, candidates will trickle through the Capitol’s second floor to fill out paperwork and have their official candidate photo taken.
Those wishing to run for a variety of state and federal offices will have until November 14 to visit the Capitol and submit paperwork.
For partisan races, the primary is March 5. The general election for nonpartisan judicial offices will be held the same day.
The General Election and nonpartisan runoff is November 5, 2024.
What races are on the ballot?
President — The race for U.S. president tops the 2024 ballot. Typically, presidential candidates will send a proxy to Arkansas to file their paperwork.
U.S. representative — Arkansas’ four U.S. House seats are on the ballot every two years. All four of Arkansas’ congressmen are expected to run for reelection. Politicos will be watching for any rumored primary challengers as well as what Democrats will file for the seats currently under firm Republican control. (Neither of Arkansas’ U.S. Senate seats are up for election this cycle. Sen. Tom Cotton’s seat will be on the 2026 ballot)
State Senate — 18 seats in the 35-member Arkansas Senate are up for grabs. These includes District 3, currently held by Steve Crowell, a Magnolia Republican. The district includes Clark, Columbia, Lafayette and Nevada counties, and portions of Hempstead, Hot Spring and Pike counties.
State House — All 100 seats in the Arkansas House of Representatives come up for election every two years. District 98 is held by Wade Andrews, a Camden Republican, and includes parts of Columbia, Lafayette, Nevada and Ouachita counties. District 99 is held by Lane Jean, a Magnolia Republican, and includes parts of Columbia, Lafayette and Miller counties.
State Supreme Court — Three of the seven seats on the Arkansas Supreme Court are on the 2024 ballot, including chief justice.
State Court of Appeals — Two of the 12 judgeships on the Arkansas Court of Appeals are up for election.
Circuit Judge — Seven of the 121 circuit judge positions in judicial districts across the state are on the 2024 ballot.
District Judge — All state district court judgeships are up for election in 2024. This includes the Position 4 judgeship in Judicial District 13, which includes Columbia, Calhoun, Cleveland, Dallas, Ouachita and Union counties.
State Treasurer — This cycle includes a special election to fill the treasurer of state vacancy left by the death of former Treasurer Mark Lowery. The candidate elected will serve the final two years of Lowery’s term.
There will also be a handful of local races and ballot initiatives that vary by jurisdiction.
What does it cost to run?
The Republican Party of Arkansas doubled its filing fee for congressional candidates, meaning those wishing to run for U.S. House must pay $30,000 to the party.
GOP presidential candidates must pay $25,000.
Republican candidates for state House and Senate must pay $3,000 and $7,500, respectively.
Comparatively, Democratic congressional and presidential candidates will each owe the state party $2,500.
Democrats running for state House and Senate must pay $1,000 and $2,500, respectively.
Candidates for nonpartisan positions may file by petition or pay a state filing fee, which ranges from $4,680 to $13,200 depending on the seat.
The small Libertarian Party has no filing fees. It will nominate candidates for state and local offices at a statewide convention in February.
Before September’s deadline, 78 candidates filed by petition.
When is the deadline to register to vote in the March primary?
The last day to register is Monday, Feb. 5.
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