Elections in Arkansas | ||||||||||
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Arkansas's 2010 general elections were held November 2, 2010. Primaries were held May 18, 2010 and runoffs, if necessary, were held November 23, 2010. Arkansas elected seven constitutional officers, 17 of 35 state senate seats, all 100 house seats and 28 district prosecuting attorneys, and voted on one constitutional amendment and one referred question. Non-partisan judicial elections were held the same day as the party primaries for four Supreme Court justices, four appeals circuit court judges, and eight district court judges.
Arkansas is a state in the southern region of the United States, home to over 3 million people as of 2018. Its name is of Siouan derivation from the language of the Osage denoting their related kin, the Quapaw Indians. The state's diverse geography ranges from the mountainous regions of the Ozark and the Ouachita Mountains, which make up the U.S. Interior Highlands, to the densely forested land in the south known as the Arkansas Timberlands, to the eastern lowlands along the Mississippi River and the Arkansas Delta.
The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 29,159 according to the 2010 federal census. Members are elected to two-year terms and, since the 2014 Amendment to the Arkansas Constitution, limited to sixteen years cumulative in either house.
The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Since 1925, it has consisted of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, and at times Special Justices are called upon in the absence of a regular justice. The Justices are elected in a non-partisan election for eight-year-long terms that are staggered to make it unlikely that the entire court would be replaced in a single election. Any vacancy caused by a Justice not finishing his or her term is filled by an appointment made by the Governor of Arkansas.
Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln ran unsuccessfully for re-election against Republican John Boozman. Arkansas had previously only elected one Republican senator since the Reconstruction, who was defeated after his first term in 2002 by Mark Pryor. Lincoln faced Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter and narrowly won the primary contest.
The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. Tracing its heritage back to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's Democratic-Republican Party, the modern-day Democratic Party was founded around 1828 by supporters of Andrew Jackson, making it the world's oldest active political party. The Democrats' dominant worldview was once social conservatism and economic liberalism while populism was its leading characteristic in the rural South. In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt ran as a third-party candidate in the Progressive Party, beginning a switch of political platforms between the Democratic and Republican Party over the coming decades, and leading to Woodrow Wilson being elected as the first fiscally progressive Democrat. Since Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal coalition in the 1930s, the Democratic Party has also promoted a social liberal platform, supporting social justice.
Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln is an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Senator from Arkansas from 1999 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, Lincoln was first elected to the Senate in 1998; she was the first woman elected to the Senate from Arkansas since Hattie Caraway in 1932 and, at age 38, was the youngest woman ever elected to the Senate. She previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Arkansas's 1st congressional district from 1993 to 1997.
John Nichols Boozman is the senior United States Senator for Arkansas, and a member of the Republican Party. He served as the United States Representative for Arkansas's 3rd congressional district from 2001 to 2011.
The Democratic primary was held on May 18, 2010, with early voting from May 3–17. As no candidate received 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election was held on June 8, with early voting from June 1–7. [1]
Early voting is a process by which voters in a public election can vote prior to the scheduled election day. Early voting can take place remotely, such as via postal voting, or in person, usually in designated early voting polling stations. The availability and time periods for early voting vary among jurisdictions and types of election. The goals of early voting are usually to increase voter participation and relieve congestion at polling stations on election day.
The two-round system is a voting method used to elect a single winner, where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate. However, if no candidate receives the required number of votes, then those candidates having less than a certain proportion of the votes, or all but the two candidates receiving the most votes, are eliminated, and a second round of voting is held.
William A. Halter is an American politician best known for being the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to succeed the late Republican Winthrop Paul Rockefeller in 2006, defeating Republican challenger Jim Holt.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lincoln (Incumbent) | 146,579 | 44.5 | |
Democratic | Bill Halter | 140,081 | 42.5 | |
Democratic | D.C. Morrison | 42,695 | 13.0 | |
Total votes | 329,355 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lincoln (Incumbent) | 134,758 | 52.0 | |
Democratic | Bill Halter | 124,405 | 48.0 | |
Total votes | 259,163 | 100 |
The Republican primary was held on May 18, 2010, with early voting from May 3–17.
The Arkansas Senate is the upper branch of the Arkansas General Assembly. The Senate consists of 35 members, each representing a district with about 83,000 people. Service in the state legislature is part-time, and many state senators have full-time jobs during the rest of the year. During the current term, the Senate contains twenty-six Republicans, and nine Democrats.
Kim Dexter Hendren is a Republican currently serving in the Arkansas House of Representatives. He is a former member of the Arkansas State Senate who served as Minority Leader and chairman of the Energy Committee. Term-limited, he left the Senate in January 2013.
Jim L. Holt is an American Baptist minister and a conservative Republican politician from Springdale in northwestern Arkansas.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John Boozman | 75,010 | 52.7 | |
Republican | Jim Holt | 24,826 | 17.5 | |
Republican | Gilbert Baker | 16,540 | 11.6 | |
Republican | Conrad Reynolds | 7,128 | 5.0 | |
Republican | Curtis Coleman | 6,928 | 4.9 | |
Republican | Kim Hendren | 5,551 | 3.9 | |
Republican | Randy Alexander | 4,389 | 3.1 | |
Republican | Fred Ramey | 1,888 | 1.3 | |
Total votes | 142,260 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John Boozman | 451,617 | 57.90% | +13.83% | |
Democratic | Blanche Lincoln (incumbent) | 288,156 | 36.95% | -18.95% | |
Libertarian | Trevor Drown | 25,234 | 3.24% | +3.24% | |
Green | John Gray | 14,430 | 1.85% | +1.85% | |
Majority | 163,461 | 20.95% | |||
Turnout | 779,437 | 37.5% | |||
Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | ||||
All four of Arkansas's seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2010. Only one of the four incumbents sought re-election, Democrat Mike Ross of District 4.
This is an open seat, as Democratic incumbent Marion Berry was retiring. Berry has always been reelected in this district by a wide margin since his first reelection campaign in 1998, and was unopposed in 2008. The district is very Republican (giving only 38% to Obama) on a national level despite a long history of electing Democrats to local and state level offices.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Rick Crawford | 93,224 | 51.79 | |
Democratic | Chad Causey | 78,267 | 43.48 | |
Green | Ken Adler | 8,320 | 4.62 | |
Write-ins | 205 | 0.11 | ||
Total votes | 180,016 | 100 | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
This district was represented by seven term Democrat Vic Snyder who was unchallenged in 2008 and received 70% of the vote. Snyder announced that he would retire in 2010, reportedly after polls showed him trailing Republican Tim Griffin. [18]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Tim Griffin | 122,091 | 57.90 | |
Democratic | Senator Joyce Elliott | 80,687 | 38.27 | |
Independent | Lance Levi | 4,421 | 2.10 | |
Green | Lewis Kennedy | 3,599 | 1.71 | |
Write-ins | 54 | 0.03 | ||
Total votes | 210,852 | 100 | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
This district was represented by Republican John Boozman. Boozman ran for the U.S. Senate, against Blanche Lincoln. [20] The district (comprising the northwest part of the state) has been held by the GOP since 1966.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Steve Womack | 148,581 | 72.44 | |
Democratic | David Whitaker | 56,542 | 27.56 | |
Total votes | 205,123 | 100 | ||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mike Ross (incumbent) | 102,479 | 57.53 | |
Republican | Beth Anne Rankin | 71,526 | 40.15 | |
Green | Josh Drake | 4,129 | 2.32 | |
Total votes | 178,134 | 100 | ||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Mike Beebe won every county in Arkansas with between 52.10% and 85.44% of the votes. [24]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mike Beebe | 503,336 | 64.4 | +9.1 | |
Republican | Jim Keet | 262,783 | 33.6 | -7.4 | |
Green | Jim Lendall | 14,513 | 1.9 | + 0.2 | |
Write-ins | 700 | 0.1 | 0 | ||
Turnout | 781,332 | 37.57% | |||
Democratic hold | Swing | +9.1 |
Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter is running for Senate and was not seeking re-election as Lieutenant Governor.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mark Darr | 386,693 | 51.05 | |
Democratic | Senator Shane Broadway | 369,538 | 48.95 | |
Turnout | 756,231 | 36.36 | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Democrat incumbent Charlie Daniels was term-limited and instead he ran for State Auditor.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mark Martin | 392,468 | 51.33 | |
Democratic | Pat O'Brien | 372,123 | 48.67 | |
Turnout | 766,493 | 36.86 | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Incumbent Dustin McDaniel won every county in Arkansas with between 59.71% and 88.28% of the votes. [24]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Dustin McDaniel (incumbent) | 525,940 | 72.76 | |
Green | Rebekah Kennedy | 193,658 | 26.79 | |
Write-ins | Marc Rosson | 1,902 | 0 | |
Turnout | 721,500 | 34.69 | ||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Martha Shoffner won every county in Arkansas with between 53.43% and 87.67% of the votes. [24]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Martha Shoffner (incumbent) | 479,701 | 67.54 | |
Green | Bobby Tullis | 230,594 | 32.46 | |
Turnout | 710,295 | 34.15 | ||
Democratic hold |
Democratic incumbent Jim Wood was term-limited. Charlie Daniels won every county in Arkansas with between 58.52% and 88.51% of the votes. [24]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Charlie Daniels | 506,606 | 70.65 | |
Green | Mary Hughes-Willis | 210,476 | 29.35 | |
Turnout | 717,082 | 34.48 | ||
Democratic hold |
Democrat incumbent Commissioner Mark Wilcox was term-limited.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John M. Thurston | 396,263 | 52.68 | |
Democratic | LJ Bryant | 355,996 | 47.32 | |
Turnout | 752,259 | 36.17 | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Half of the thirty-file members of the Arkansas Senate were up for election in 2010.
All 100 seats in the Arkansas House of Representatives were up for election in 2010.
Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 2010.
Three statewide ballot questions have been certified:
1. Right to hunt, fish and trap wildlife
2. Establish criteria before authorizing the issuance of bonds
3. Lower the threshold for issuing state bonds to attract major industries
Amendment 1 [31] | Amendment 2 [32] | Amendment 3 [33] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | |
For | 612,495 | 82.78% | 448,711 | 64.20% | 431,724 | 62.35 % |
Against | 127,444 | 17.22% | 250,167 | 35.80% | 260,735 | 37.65% |
Approved | Approved | Approved |
Many elections for county offices were also be held on November 2, 2010.
Mark Lunsford Pryor is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States Senator from Arkansas from 2003 to 2015. While he ran for office as a Democrat and affiliates with the Democratic party, he registered to vote with no party affiliation. Prior to becoming senator, he was Attorney General of Arkansas from 1999 to 2003.
The 1998 United States Senate elections were held on November 3 and seen as an even contest between the Republican Party and Democratic Party. While the Democrats had to defend more seats up for election, Republican attacks on the morality of President Bill Clinton failed to connect with voters and anticipated Republican gains did not materialize. The Republicans picked up open seats in Ohio and Kentucky and narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent Carol Moseley Braun (Illinois), but these were cancelled out by the Democrats' gain of an open seat in Indiana and defeats of Republican Senators Al D'Amato and Lauch Faircloth. The balance of the Senate remained unchanged at 55–45 in favor of the Republicans. With Democrats gaining five seats in the House of Representatives, this marked the first time since 1934 that the out-of-presidency party failed to gain congressional seats in a mid-term election, and the first time since 1822 that the party not in control of the White House failed to gain seats in the mid-term election of a President's second term. These are the last senate elections that resulted in no net change in the balance of power.
Arkansas's 2006 state elections were held November 7, 2006. Primaries were held May 23 and runoffs, if necessary, were held June 13. Arkansas elected seven constitutional officers, 17 of 35 state senate seats, all 100 house seats and 28 district prosecuting attorneys, and voted on one constitutional amendment and one referred question. Non-partisan judicial elections were held the same day as the party primaries for four Supreme Court justices, four appeals circuit court judges, and eight district court judges.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Arkansas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Pryor decided to run for a second term. No Republican filed to challenge him. His only opponent was Green Party candidate Rebekah Kennedy. He won re-election with almost 80% of the vote.
The 2010 United States Senate election in Arkansas took place on November 2, 2010 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2010 congressional elections in Arkansas was held on November 2, 2010, to determine who would represent Arkansas in the United States House of Representatives. Arkansas has four seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 112th Congress from January 3, 2011 until January 3, 2013. None of Arkansas's four representatives faced major party opposition in 2008. As of 2016, this is the last election in which a Democrat won a congressional district in Arkansas.
Elections to the United States Senate on November 4, 2014, were a part of the United States 2014 elections. Thirty-three Class 2 seats in the 100-member United States Senate were up for election, in addition to three Class 3 seats due to expire on January 3, 2017. The candidates winning the regular elections would serve six-year terms from January 3, 2015 to January 3, 2021. The elections marked 100 years of direct elections of U.S. Senators. Twenty-one of the open seats were held by the Democratic Party, while fifteen were held by the Republican Party.
The 1998 United States Senate election in Arkansas was held November 3, 1998. Incumbent Dale Bumpers did not run for re-election, as he was retiring. U.S. Representative Blanche Lincoln won the open seat against State Senator Fay Boozman. 12 years later she would be defeated by Fay's younger brother John Boozman in 2010.
Gilbert R. Baker is a Republican former member of the Arkansas State Senate for District 30, with service from 2001 to 2013. In 2010, Baker was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate seat formerly held by the Democrat Blanche Lincoln.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Nebraska took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Fay Winford Boozman III was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Arkansas, a close friend of former Governor Mike Huckabee and a 1998 candidate for Senate.
Elections for state and federal offices for the 2010 election cycle in Connecticut were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Any necessary primary elections for the Republican and Democratic parties were held on Tuesday, August 10, 2010.
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Arkansas occurred on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the four U.S. Representatives from the state, one from each of the state's four congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election.
The 2016 United States Senate election in Arkansas was held November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Arkansas, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Arkansas on November 4, 2014. All of Arkansas' executive officers were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat, and all of Arkansas' four seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on May 20, 2014 for offices that need to nominate candidates. Primary runoffs, necessary if no candidate wins a majority of the vote, were held on June 10, 2014.
The 2020 United States elections will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives, 34 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate, and the office of President of the United States will be contested. Thirteen state and territorial governorships, as well as numerous other state and local elections, will also be contested.