An act TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ELECTION TO 10 CERTAIN MUNICIPAL OFFICES, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas                         A Bill
2 95th General Assembly

3 Regular Session, 2025                                          HOUSE BILL 1936

4

5 By: Representatives R. Burkes, Underwood

6 By: Senators J. Dotson, Hester

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8                                 For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ELECTION TO

10  CERTAIN MUNICIPAL OFFICES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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13                                          Subtitle

14                       AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING

15                       ELECTION TO CERTAIN MUNICIPAL OFFICES.

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17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

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19  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 14-42-206(a), concerning nominating

20 petitions for municipal elections, is amended to read as follows:

21  (a)(1) The city or town council of any city or town with the mayor-

22 council form of government may request the county party committees of

23 recognized political parties under the laws of the state to shall conduct

24 party primaries for municipal offices unless the governing body of the

25 municipality passes a resolution that the governing body will conduct

26 nonpartisan municipal elections for the forthcoming year by resolution passed

27 before August 31 of the calendar year before the election.

28  (2) The resolution shall remain in effect for the subsequent

29 elections two (2) years unless revoked by the city or town council.

30  (3)(A) When the a resolution has been adopted under subdivision

31 (a)(1) of this section, the clerk or recorder shall:

32                                (i) Mail a certified copy of the resolution to the

33 chairs of the county party committees and to the chairs of the state party

34 committees; and

35                                (ii) File a certified copy of the resolution with the

36 county clerk.

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1                    (B) The county clerk shall forward a copy of the certified

2 file-marked resolution to the county board of election commissioners.

3            (4) Candidates nominated for municipal office by political

4 primaries under this section shall be certified by the county party

5 committees to the county board of election commissioners and shall be placed

6 on the ballot at the general election.

7

8   SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 14-42-206(f), concerning nominating

9 petitions for municipal elections, is repealed.

10  (f) Nothing in this section shall repeal any law pertaining to the

11 city administrator form of government or the city manager form of government.

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13  SECTION 3. Arkansas Code � 14-47-109(d), concerning the election of

14 directors in a city manager form of government, is amended to read as

15 follows:

16  (d)(1) All regular and special elections of directors shall be

17 nonpartisan, the ballots to show no party designation.

18           (2) In all regular and special elections, each candidate for the

19 office of director shall be elected by the electors of the city at large.

20           (3)(2) A director shall not be prohibited from holding successive

21 terms of office.

22

23  SECTION 4. Arkansas Code � 14-48-110(d), concerning the election of

24 mayors and directors in a city administrator form of government, is amended

25 to read as follows:

26  (d)(1) All primary, general, and special elections of the mayor and

27 directors shall be nonpartisan, and the ballots shall show no party

28 designation.

29           (2)(A) In all primary, general, and special elections, each

30 candidate for the office of mayor or director shall be elected by the

31 electors of the city as follows:

32                      (i)(A) The persons elected to fill director

33 positions one, two, three, and four, respectively, shall be qualified

34 electors of the respective wards and shall be elected by the qualified

35 electors of the respective wards; and

36                      (ii)(B) The persons elected to fill the position of

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1 mayor and director positions five, six, and seven, respectively, shall be

2 qualified electors of the city and shall be elected by the qualified electors

3 of the entire city.

4               (B)(2) Neither the mayor nor a director shall be

5 prohibited from holding successive terms of office.

6               (C)(i)(a)(3)(A)(i) The persons elected to fill director

7 positions one, two, three, and four, respectively, shall continue to reside

8 in the ward from which he or she was elected for the term for which he or she

9 was elected.

10                     (b)(ii) The persons elected to fill the

11 position of mayor and director positions five, six, and seven, respectively,

12 shall continue to reside in the city from which he or she was elected for the

13 term for which he or she was elected.

14                     (ii)(B) If a duly elected director shall cease to

15 reside in the ward or the city from which he or she was elected, the director

16 shall be disqualified to hold the office, and a vacancy shall exist that

17 shall be filled as prescribed by law.

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