Ark. Code Ann. § 7-5-203 (2026)

1. 1. Not less than seventy-five (75) days before each general election day, the Secretary of State shall certify to all county boards of election commissioners full lists of all candidates to be voted for in their respective counties as the nominations have been certified or otherwise properly submitted to him or her.
   2. A name of a person shall not be certified and shall not be placed on the ballot if prior to the certification deadline a candidate on the list:
      1. Notifies the Secretary of State in writing, signed by the candidate and acknowledged before an officer authorized to take acknowledgements, of his or her desire to withdraw as a candidate for the office or position; or
      2. Dies.
2. 1. Not less than seventy-five (75) days before each general election day, the clerk of each county shall certify to the county board of election commissioners of his or her county a full list of all candidates to be voted for in the county as the nominations have been certified or otherwise properly submitted to him or her.
   2. A name of a person shall not be certified and shall not be placed on the ballot if prior to the certification deadline a candidate on the list:
      1. Notifies the county clerk in writing, signed by the candidate and acknowledged before an officer authorized to take acknowledgements, of his or her desire to withdraw as a candidate for the office or position; or
      2. Dies.
3. However, in special elections held to fill vacancies or to elect officers in case of a tie vote, the certification shall issue at the time specified in the writ of election issued by the appropriately constituted authority.

History. Acts 1969, No. 465, Art. 6, § 6; 1985, No. 1055, § 2; A.S.A. 1947, § 3-606; Acts 1997, No. 451, § 8; 1999, No. 1490, § 4; 2005, No. 67, § 6; 2007, No. 1049, § 18; 2009, No. 1480, § 17; 2011, No. 1185, § 3.

Amendments. The 2007 amendment substituted “seventy-five (75)” for “fifty (50)” in (a) and (b).

The 2009 amendment rewrote (a) and (b).

The 2011 amendment substituted “seventy-five (75)” for “seventy (70)” in (a)(1) and (b)(1); inserted “properly” in (a)(1) and (b)(1); and inserted “deadline” in (a)(2) and (b)(2).