Arkansas judge rules against Sanders in second special election lawsuit

A Pulaski County judge on Friday ordered House District 70’s special election moved to March 3, 2026, rejecting arguments from the state that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has complete discretion over special election dates.

On Oct. 10, Sanders called a special election for June 9, 2026, to replace former Republican Rep. Carlton Wing, who resigned on Sept. 30 to become the new executive director and CEO of Arkansas PBS.

In a lawsuit filed Oct. 21, the Democratic Party of Arkansas and four District 70 voters said Sanders violated the state’s special election laws when she scheduled the special general election for that date. They called it “taxation without representation” as it would prevent the district from having House representation during the Legislature’s 2026 fiscal session, set to start in April.

The petitioners asked for the special election to be moved to March 3, which Sanders had set as the special primary, via a writ of mandamus. A writ of mandamus is a court order compelling a government official to perform a duty they are already legally required to do.


https://arkansasadvocate.com/2025/10/31/arkansas-judge-rules-against-sanders-in-second-special-election-lawsuit/