Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1936 3
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By: Representatives R. Burkes, Underwood 5
By: Senators J. Dotson, Hester 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ELECTION TO 9
CERTAIN MUNICIPAL OFFICES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 10
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Subtitle 13
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING 14
ELECTION TO CERTAIN MUNICIPAL OFFICES. 15
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 17
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 14 -42-206(a), concerning nominating 19
petitions for municipal elections, is amended to read as follows: 20
(a)(1) The city or town council of any city or town with the mayor -21
council form of government may request the county party committees of 22
recognized political parties under the laws of the state to shall conduct 23
party primaries for municipal offices unless the governing body of the 24
municipality passes a resolution that the governing body will conduct 25
nonpartisan municipal elections for the forthcoming year by resolution passed 26
before August 31 of the calendar year before the election. 27
(2) The resolution shall remain in effect for the subsequent 28
elections two (2) years unless revoked by the city or town council. 29
(3)(A) When the a resolution has been adopted under subdivision 30
(a)(1) of this section , the clerk or recorder shall: 31
(i) Mail a certified copy of the resolution to the 32
chairs of the county party committees and to the chairs of the state party 33
committees; and 34
(ii) File a certified copy of the resolution with the 35
county clerk. 36 HB1936
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(B) The county clerk shall forward a copy of the certified 1
file-marked resolution to the county board of election commissioners. 2
(4) Candidates nominated for municipal office by political 3
primaries under this section shall be certified by the county party 4
committees to the county board of election commissioners and shall be placed 5
on the ballot at the general election. 6
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 14 -42-206(f), concerning nominating 8
petitions for municipal elections, is repealed. 9
(f) Nothing in this section shall repeal any law pertaining to the 10
city administrator form of government or the city manager form of government. 11
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SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 14 -47-109(d), concerning the election of 13
directors in a city manager form of government, is amended to read as 14
follows: 15
(d)(1) All regular and special elections of directors shall be 16
nonpartisan, the ballots to show no party designation. 17
(2) In all regular and special elections, each candidate for the 18
office of director shall be elected by the electors of the city at large. 19
(3)(2) A director shall not be prohibited from holding successive 20
terms of office. 21
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SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 14-48-110(d), concerning the election of 23
mayors and directors in a city administrator form of government, is amended 24
to read as follows: 25
(d)(1) All primary, general, and special elections of the mayor and 26
directors shall be nonpartisan, and the ballots shall show no party 27
designation. 28
(2)(A) In all primary, general, and special elections, each 29
candidate for the office of mayor or director shall be elected by the 30
electors of the city as follows: 31
(i)(A) The persons elected to fill director 32
positions one, two, three, and four, respectively, shall be qualified 33
electors of the respective wards and shall be elected by the qualified 34
electors of the respective wards; and 35
(ii)(B) The persons elected to fill the position of 36 HB1936
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mayor and director positions five, six, and seven, respectively, shall be 1
qualified electors of the city and shall be elected by the qualified electors 2
of the entire city. 3
(B)(2) Neither the mayor nor a director shall be 4
prohibited from holding successive terms of office. 5
(C)(i)(a)(3)(A)(i) The persons elected to fill director 6
positions one, two, three, and four, respectively, shall continue to reside 7
in the ward from which he or she was elected for the term for which he or she 8
was elected. 9
(b)(ii) The persons elected to fill the 10
position of mayor and director positions five, six, and seven, respectively, 11
shall continue to reside in the city from which he or she was elected for the 12
term for which he or she was elected. 13
(ii)(B) If a duly elected director shall cease to 14
reside in the ward or the city from which he or she was elected, the director 15
shall be disqualified to hold the office, and a vacancy shall exist that 16
shall be filled as prescribed by law. 17
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