Election Timeline

2026 Arkansas School Board Election Info

Technology Dept

November 7, 2025

To see list of all information please visit. 2026 Arkansas School Board Election information.

The filing period for the March 2026 Arkansas School Board Election is open now through next Wednesday, November 12, at Noon.

*Important Information for Potential Candidates:

  • Act 503 requires that school boards transition to terms of either four (4) or six (6) years.

  • Board members currently serving will see their terms adjusted to expire according to specific timelines laid out in  Act 503. According to the language in the Act, terms that were set to expire in November 2025, Calendar Year 2026, or Calendar Year 2027 will now expire in 2026.

  • The attached guidance document provides ASBA’s suggested method for balancing terms that become unbalanced due to the new law. The guidance states that “All positions that are currently scheduled to be up for election will be up for election at that time. The board members who are elected in 2026 would then draw lots to stagger future terms.”

Important Dates for the 2026 Election

  • November 3, 2025 (noon): Candidate filing period opens

  • November 12, 2025 (noon): Candidate filing period closes

  • December 22, 2025: District deadline to submit millage information to county clerk

  • January 1, 2026: District deadline to publish proposed budget

  • February 2, 2026: Deadline to register to vote

  • February 17, 2026: Early voting begins

  • March 3, 2026: Election Day

  • November 3, 2026: Run-off Election (if needed)

 

Please note that if a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it will advance to the next business day, per Ark. Code § 7-1-108. Accordingly, we have updated the voter registration deadline and the start date of early voting from our previous email.

Resources for Candidates