Election Day may still feel a ways off, but Arkansans planning to vote in the 2026 General Election have several important dates — and decisions — approaching this fall.
The General Election will be held Tuesday, November 3, when voters across Arkansas will select candidates for federal, state and local offices. Depending on where a voter lives, ballots may also include county and municipal races, local questions and other contests.
This year’s ballot will not be limited to candidates. Arkansas voters will also decide at least four statewide ballot issues, including three proposed constitutional amendments and a proposal allowing the state to issue up to $500 million in general obligation bonds for water and related infrastructure projects.
The statewide questions currently include:
- Issue 1 – Citizens Only Voting Amendment: A proposed constitutional amendment specifying that only United States citizens who meet Arkansas’ qualifications for electors may vote in state and local elections.
- Issue 2 – Right to Keep and Bear Arms Amendment: A proposed constitutional amendment addressing the right to keep and bear arms, including ammunition, firearm accessories and firearm components.
- Issue 3 – Economic Development: A proposed constitutional amendment concerning economic development programs and the creation of economic development districts within cities, counties or cooperative areas.
- Issue 4 – Water and Infrastructure Bonds: A proposal authorizing up to $500 million in state general obligation bonds for water, waste disposal, pollution control, drainage, irrigation, flood control and related projects.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Public Policy Center provides nonpartisan information about the statewide proposals and plans to publish its complete 2026 Arkansas Ballot Issue Voter Guide this fall. The guide will include the wording voters will see on their ballots, basic information about each proposal and arguments offered by supporters and opponents.
Before voters begin researching candidates and issues, however, they should make sure they are eligible to participate.
The deadline to register to vote in the November General Election is Monday, October 5. Voter registration applications are available through county clerk offices and at a number of other locations around the state, including public libraries and state revenue offices. Voters can also obtain an application through the Arkansas Secretary of State.
Those who believe they are already registered can use the Secretary of State’s VoterView system to check their registration information. The system can also provide polling-place information and sample ballots as they become available. The University of Arkansas Extension recommends periodically checking registration information, particularly to make sure an address is current.
The number of Arkansans who participate can vary significantly from one election to another.
In the 2024 General Election, 1,187,243 of Arkansas’ 1,828,133 registered voters cast ballots, producing a turnout of 64.94 percent. Participation is generally lower in non-presidential election years.
Even so, individual races can be decided by very small margins. Arkansas has seen legislative contests separated by fewer than 50 votes, and the state’s political history includes races in which only a handful of ballots made the difference.
For voters who do not want to wait until November 3, early voting begins Monday, October 19. Voters should check with their county clerk for their county’s early voting locations and hours. Early voting concludes Monday, November 2.
On Election Day, polling locations across Arkansas will be open from 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Voters should also remember Arkansas’ identification requirement. In-person voters are required to present an accepted form of photo identification. According to the University of Arkansas Extension’s voter education resources, acceptable identification can include an Arkansas driver’s license, Arkansas state identification card, U.S. passport, U.S. military identification and several other forms of qualifying photo ID. Generally, the identification cannot be expired by more than four years.
A county or municipal race that requires another round of voting could extend the election season into December. Arkansas’ General Runoff Election is scheduled for Tuesday, December 1, with a voter registration deadline of November 2.
Between now and November, voters can take several simple steps to prepare: confirm their registration, find their polling location, make sure they have acceptable identification and review a sample ballot before voting.
The state’s VoterView system provides registration, polling-place and sample-ballot information, while the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Public Policy Center provides neutral educational material on Arkansas’ statewide ballot issues.
The most important date, of course, is Tuesday, November 3. But for Arkansans who want to enter the voting booth prepared, the work can begin well before Election Day.
