LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Sunday that she will comply with Pulaski County court orders requiring Arkansas to move up two special elections, even as she described the rulings as “unlawful” and said she was acting “under duress.” The Arkansas Supreme Court last week denied her request to pause lower-court orders that directed the state to reschedule elections for Senate District 26 and House District 70.
Sanders had originally set the special general elections for June 9, 2026, following the death of Sen. Gary Stubblefield and the resignation of Rep. Carlton Wing. But voters and advocacy groups sued, arguing that a June date would leave tens of thousands of residents without representation during the Legislature’s April fiscal session.
Under the revised schedule, primaries will be held Jan. 6, 2026, and general elections on March 3, 2026. In proclamations issued Sunday, Sanders argued the new timeline risks violating protections for overseas military voters, saying the orders “give overseas military members insufficient time to vote, violating Arkansas law.”
The Democratic Party of Arkansas, a plaintiff in the HD 70 lawsuit, called the decision a “huge win for democracy,” saying it ensures that more than 30,000 voters will have full representation during key debates, including education and prison funding.
Arkansas law requires special elections to be held within 150 days of a vacancy unless doing so is “impracticable.” Circuit judges ruled that Sanders’ June dates were not permissible and ordered her to set earlier elections. Sanders maintains the courts overstepped but said she will pursue appeals.
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