Arkansas
We encourage everyone to contact their Senators and Representative in Congress.
Click on the images below for additional information:
SENIOR SENATOR: John Boozman
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JUNIOR SENATOR: Tom Cotton
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DISTRICT 1: Rick Crawford
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DISTRICT 2: French Hill
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DISTRICT 3: Steve Womack
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DISTRICT 4: Bruce Westerman
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STARTING A POLITICAL PARTY IN ARKANSAS:
METHOD: PETITION AND CANDIDATE AND 3% OF VOTES
VALID SIGNATURES NEEDED: 10,000 within 90 days of filing
VALID SIGNATURES NEEDED: 10,000 within 90 days of filing
In Arkansas, a political party is defined as a group of voters whose candidate at the last preceding general election for governor or president received at least 3 percent of all votes cast for those offices. The steps a group must take in order to be recognized by the state are described below:
See statutes: Title 7, Chapter 7-205 of the Arkansas Code
As of May 2017, Arkansas officially recognized two political parties: the Democratic and Republican parties.
- The political group wishing to become a recognized political party must file with the Arkansas Secretary of State 60 days before the candidate filing deadline.
- The group must file a petition containing 10,000 signatures from registered voters in the state. These signatures cannot be gathered earlier than 90 days before the petition filing deadline.
- An affidavit stating under oath that the group does not advocate in any way the overthrow of the United States government or the Arkansas government by any unlawful means must also be filed.
- Once the secretary of state certifies the petition, the new political party may nominate candidates by convention for its first general election.
- The candidates nominated must file political practices pledges with the secretary of state no later than noon on the date of the primary election.
- The party must file certificates of nomination with the secretary of state or county clerk by noon on the date of the primary.
- If the new party obtains 3 percent of the total votes cast for either their gubernatorial or presidential nominees, the party will become fully recognized. As long as the party's candidates continue to meet this threshold, the party will maintain its status and can nominate candidates via primary rather than by convention.
- After a primary election, a recognized political party is required to hold a state convention to receive the election results for all offices from the Arkansas Secretary of State. The party must then give each successful candidate a certificate of nomination.
See statutes: Title 7, Chapter 7-205 of the Arkansas Code
As of May 2017, Arkansas officially recognized two political parties: the Democratic and Republican parties.
See statutes: Title 7, Chapter 7-205 of the Arkansas Code
