2018 Arkansas elections

2018 Arkansas elections
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A general election was held in the U.S. state of Arkansas on November 6, 2018. All of Arkansas' executive officers were up for election as well as all of Arkansas' four seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primaries were held on May 22, 2018. Polls were open from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM CST. Republicans retained all statewide offices and all four seats in the United States House of Representatives.

Governor

Republican governor Asa Hutchinson was elected to a second term.

2018 Arkansas gubernatorial election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Asa Hutchinson (incumbent) 582,406 65.33
Democratic Jared K. Henderson 283,218 31.77
Libertarian Mark West 25,885 2.90
Total votes 891,509 100.0
Republican hold

Lieutenant governor

Republican lieutenant governor Tim Griffin was elected to a second term.

2018 Arkansas lieutenant gubernatorial election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Griffin (incumbent) 570,433 64.18
Democratic Anthony Bland 293,535 33.03
Libertarian Frank Gilbert 24,767 2.79
Total votes 888,735 100.0
Republican hold

Attorney general

Republican Attorney General Leslie Rutledge was elected to a second term.

2018 Arkansas attorney general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Leslie Rutledge (incumbent) 549,668 61.80
Democratic Mike Lee 315,099 35.43
Libertarian Kerry Hicks 24,652 2.77
Total votes 889,419 100.0
Republican hold

Secretary of state

Republican incumbent Mark Martin was term-limited and could not seek a third term.

2018 Arkansas secretary of state election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Thurston 537,581 60.64
Democratic Susan Inman 323,644 36.51
Libertarian Christopher Olson 25,320 2.86
Total votes 886,545 100.0
Republican hold

State treasurer

Republican treasurer Dennis Milligan was elected to a second term. No Democrat filed to run for this office.

2018 Arkansas treasurer election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dennis Milligan (incumbent) 611,189 70.89
Libertarian Ashley Ewald 250,943 29.11
Total votes 862,132 100.0
Republican hold

State auditor

Republican auditor Andrea Lea was elected to a second term. No Democrat filed to run for this office.

Republican nominee

Libertarian nominee

General election

Results by county
Lea:
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
2018 Arkansas auditor election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Andrea Lea (incumbent) 621,772 72.35
Libertarian David Dinwiddie 237,602 27.65
Total votes 859,374 100.0
Republican hold

Commissioner of State Lands

Incumbent Republican Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston was term-limited and ran successfully for the office of Secretary of State.

2018 Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tommy Land 530,230 60.05
Democratic Larry Williams 323,682 36.66
Libertarian T.J. Campbell 29,123 3.30
Total votes 883,035 100.0
Republican hold

General Assembly

State Senate

18 out of 35 seats in the Arkansas Senate were up for election. Out of the contested seats, the Republican Party won 13 while the Democratic Party won five. The resulting composition was 29 Republicans and six Democrats, same as in 2016.

State House of Representatives

All 100 seats in the Arkansas House of Representatives were up for election. Republicans won 76 while Democrats won 24. Both parties flipped two seats each.

2018 Arkansas House of Representatives election
Party Before After Change
Republican 75 76 Increase 1
Democratic 24 24 Steady
vacant 1 0 Decrease 1
Total 100

United States House of Representatives

All of Arkansas' four seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. Republicans held on to all four seats.

District Republican Democratic Others Total Result
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
District 1 138,757 68.95% 57,907 28.77% 4,581 2.28% 201,245 100% Republican hold
District 2 132,125 52.13% 116,135 45.82% 5,193 2.05% 253,453 100% Republican hold
District 3 148,717 64.78% 74,952 32.65% 6,039 2.57% 229,568 100% Republican hold
District 4 136,740 66.74% 63,984 31.23% 4,168 2.03% 204,892 100% Republican hold
Total 556,339 62.56% 312,978 35.19% 19,981 2.25% 889,298 100%

State Supreme Court

One seat on the Arkansas Supreme Court was up for election.

Associate Justice, Position 3

Incumbent Justice Courtney Goodson won re-election to a second term.

Candidates

General election

Results by county
Goodson:
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
Sterling:
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
Hixson:
  •   30–40%
  •   60–70%
2018 Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice Position 3 election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Courtney Goodson (incumbent) 113,832 37.13
Nonpartisan David Sterling 104,819 34.19
Nonpartisan Kenneth Hixson 87,951 28.69
Total votes 306,602 100.0

Runoff

Runoff results by county
Goodson:
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
Sterling:
  •   50–60%
2018 Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice Position 3 runoff election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Courtney Goodson (incumbent) 463,677 55.66
Nonpartisan David Sterling 369,306 44.34
Total votes 832,983 100.0

Ballot Measures

Three statewide measures appeared on the ballot in 2018, all of which were approved.

Issue 2

Issue 2 results by county
Yes:
  •   80–90%
  •   70–80%
  •   60–70%

The Voter ID Amendment, or simply Arkansas Issue 2, would require individuals to present valid photo ID to cast non-provisional ballots in person or absentee.

Arkansas Issue 2
ChoiceVotes%
For692,62279.47
Against178,93620.53
Total871,558100.00

Issue 4

Issue 4 results by county
Yes:
  •   60–70%
  •   50–60%
No:
  •   60–70%
  •   50–60%

The Casinos Authorized in Crittenden, Garland, Pope, and Jefferson Counties Initiative, or simply Arkansas Issue 4, would support the authorization of one casino each in Crittenden, Garland, Pope, and Jefferson counties.

Arkansas Issue 4
ChoiceVotes%
For470,95454.10
Against399,53045.90
Total870,484100.00

Issue 5

The Minimum Wage Increase Initiative, or simply Arkansas Issue 5, would raise the minimum wage in the state to $11 an hour by 2021.

It was approved by a 68-32 margin.

References

  1. ↑ "2016 Arkansas Code: Title 7, Chapter 5, Subchapter 3; § 7-5-304 - Opening and closing polls -- Time". Justia; US law. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  2. ↑ "November 6, 2018 - General Election and Nonpartisan Judicial Runoff". results.enr.clarityelections.com.
  3. ↑ "2018 Arkansas Lieutenant Gubernatorial election". Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  4. ↑ Wilson, Kristen (November 7, 2018). "Leslie Rutledge re-elected as Arkansas' attorney general". KATV. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  5. ↑ "2018 Arkansas Attorney General election". Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  6. ↑ "2018 Arkansas Secretary of State election". Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  7. ↑ "2018 Arkansas State Treasurer election". Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Arkansas auditor to seek re-election in 2018". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. April 25, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Arkansas candidate filings for 2018 election". Southwest Times Record. April 12, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  10. ↑ "2018 Arkansas State Auditor election". Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  11. ↑ "State Land Commissioner officially announces he will seek State Secretary of State's Office". Talk Business & Politics. October 24, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  12. ↑ "2018 Arkansas Commissioner of Public Lands election". Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Arkansas House of Representatives elections, 2018". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Arkansas Supreme Court elections, 2018". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson wins". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. November 6, 2018. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Justice Goodson to run for Supreme Court re-election, Sterling says he will challenge". Talk Business & Politics. January 23, 2018. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  17. ↑ DeMillo, Andrew (February 27, 2018). "Appellate judge seeking Arkansas Supreme Court seat". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Arkansas Election Night Reporting". Arkansas Secretary of State. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Arkansas Election Night Reporting". Arkansas Secretary of State. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Arkansas 2018 ballot measures". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Arkansas Issue 2, Voter ID Amendment (2018)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Arkansas Election Night Reporting". Arkansas Secretary of State. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Arkansas Issue 4, Casinos Authorized in Crittenden, Garland, Pope, and Jefferson Counties Initiative (2018)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Arkansas Election Night Reporting". Arkansas Secretary of State. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Arkansas Issue 5, Minimum Wage Increase Initiative (2018)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  26. ↑ Basten, Kelsey (November 13, 2018). "Arkansas Voters Pass New Minimum Wage Increase". GovDocs. Retrieved May 24, 2026.

Official Lieutenant Governor campaign websites

Official Attorney General campaign websites

Official Secretary of State campaign websites

Official State Treasurer campaign websites

Official Commissioner of State Lands campaign websites