Arkansas Voters Have Local Ballot Issues to Decide in November Election

by Axton Tackett - August 28, 2026

In addition to voting for candidates and statewide ballot measures on Nov. 3, 2026, voters across Arkansas may also have the opportunity to vote on local ballot measures in their county, city, or locality.

According to Arkansas law, cities and counties are limited to holding special elections on two days of the year during an election year, such as this year. Either on the second Tuesday in May or the second Tuesday in November. As federal law sets Election Day as the Tuesday after the first Monday in November for federal elections, and 2026 falls under a midterm election year (an election in the middle of the term of the president), these ballot issues will be voted on November 3, the first Tuesday of the month.

There is no central database of local elections in Arkansas. There are more likely more local ballot issues this November than are listed below. We compiled the list below using media or election official announcements. If you know of a special election taking place this November that’s not listed below, email us at publicpolicycenter@uada.edu so we can add it to this list.

Counties with Special Elections

Boone County:

Voters in this county are being asked to decide whether to approve a 0.25% local sales and use tax to fund criminal justice purposes, including (a) acquiring, constructing, improving, renovating, expanding, equipping, furnishing, operating, and maintaining criminal justice facilities as well as other related infrastructure purposes such as land acquisition and utility, road, and parking improvements, with the tax schedule to expire on March 31, 2037, if approved.

Source: Proclamation of Special Election | HarrisonDaily.com

Calhoun County:

Voters living in this county are being asked whether to approve a 1% countywide sales and use tax, with the net revenue of the tax to be distributed only to the County and used for the County Road Department purposes. 

Source: Calhoun County Clerk's Office

Craighead County:

Voters in this county are being asked to consolidate the elected offices of county treasurer and tax collector into one position.

Source: Craighead County ordinance

Dallas County:

Voters in this county are being asked to decide whether to approve a 1% countywide sales and use tax, with 70% of net collections dedicated to county roads and 30% going towards law enforcement, ambulance services, or solid waste services.

Source: Dallas County Ordinance Notice

Garland County:

Voters in this county are being asked to answer two questions on their ballot this November. The first question referred by the Garland County Quorum Court is whether to continue the existing 0.625% countywide sales and use tax for five years, from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2032, to fund road, street, bridge, sidewalk, drainage, and related infrastructure improvements. The second question is whether to approve a 0.9-mill property tax to provide a continuing debt service funding for up to $34.8 million in bonds to acquire land and construct and equip capital improvements for Garland County public libraries.

Source: Garland County 2026 Local Issues

Hempstead County:

Voters living in this county are being asked to decide whether to approve a $13,500,000 bond to finance either all or a portion of the costs of acquiring, constructing, furnishing, and equipping improvements, to the hospital facility owned by the county. If approved by the voters, the bonds would be paid through the pledge of net collections from the county’s existing 0.75% sales and use tax, which was adopted in March 2026.

Source: Hempstead County ballot language  

Lawrence County:

Voters living in this county are being asked to decide whether to approve a one-mill increase for a total of three-mill in the Lawrence County Road millage rate, increasing the total tax on real and personal property tax from two mills to three mills, with the additional revenue Lawrence County Road Maintenance within the county.

Source: Lawrence County sample ballot 

Phillips County:

Voters living in this county are being asked to approve a 1 mill property tax on real and personal property to be used for maintenance, operation and support of a public hospital.

Source: Phillips County Sample Ballot

Randolph County: 

Voters living in this county asked whether to approve 0.25% sales and use tax, with revenue from the tax to be used to acquire, construct, improve, expand, furnish, operate, and maintain county criminal justice facilities, including a jail, sheriff's station, courtroom, and related administrative, law enforcement, and judicial facilities, and 911 emergency communication service facilities.

Source: Randolph County ordinance

Saline County:

Voters living in this county will decide whether to reduce the Saline County Library System’s millage rate for maintenance and operations of libraries from 1.7 mills to 1.1 mills.

Source: Ordinance No. 2026 Saline County Library Funding Cut Proposal (PDF)

Cities with Special Elections

Austin:

Voters living in this city are being asked whether to establish four-year terms for the members of the Austin City Council. If approved, city council members would serve four-year terms instead of the city's current term structure.

Source: Lonoke County Clerk   

Black Rock:

Voters living in this city are being asked to decide whether to approve a 0.5% local sales and use tax within the city of Black Rock. 

Source: Lawrence County sample ballot 

Blytheville:

Voters living in this city are being asked to extend the expiration date of an existing 0.5% sales and use tax from September 2027 to September 2058. In addition, voters are being asked to approve two bond issue proposals that would be repaid using revenue from the tax. The bond issues include (1) issuing up to $445,000 in refunding bonds for the purpose of refinancing the City's outstanding Sales and Use Tax, Series, 2019, and (2) issuing up to $7,050,000 in bonds for firefighting facilities and apparatus, including the construction of a new fire station in the City. The proposed extension of the 0.5% sales and use tax is not dependent on either bond proposal being approved by the voters or the bonds being issued. 

Source: Mississippi County Clerk's Office

Brookland:

Voters living in this city have six bond proposals on their ballot to decide on, including refunding bonds, including $4.64 million in refunding bonds to refinance existing debt; $7.45 million in park improvement bonds to complete park and recreational facilities; $3.445 million in municipal building improvement bonds to complete a city building containing city offices and a police station; $3.385 million in sewer improvement bonds for sewer system improvements; $7.91 million in street improvement bonds for street and road construction and improvements; and $725,000 in emergency facilities improvement bonds for storm and emergency shelters, emergency alert sirens, and related facilities and equipment.

Source: 2026-05 Ordinance calling for special election to restructure bonds (PDF)

Bull Shoals:

Voters in this city are being asked to decide whether to authorize Sunday sales of alcohol.

Source: Ordinance No. 2026-07

Corning:

Voters living in this city are being asked to change to the terms of city's aldermen from two-year terms to staggered four-year terms. If approved by the voters, the transition would begin in November 2028 with South Ward Position 1 and North Ward Position 1, would be elected to four year-terms and with aldermen in positions South Ward Position 2 and North Ward Position 2 elected to two-year terms before transitioning to four-year terms in 2030. If approved beginning in the 2030 election, half of the City Council position would be up for election for every general election after 2030. If it is not approved all City Council positions would be up for election every two years at the general election. 

Source: Corning ordinance

Dermott:

Voters living in this city are being asked whether to approve voting on the approval of whether to annex several areas of unincorporated territory into the city of Dermott, including approximately 180 acres north and west of the city, 18.4 acres north of the city, 120 acres south of the city, 11.4 acres and 38 acres east of the city, and approximately 209.58 acres along and near U.S. Highways 65 and 165 and Arkansas Highway 35.  If approved by the voters, the annexed areas would become part of wards 1, 2, and 3 of the City of Dermott depending on their location.  

Source: Chicot County Clerk's Office

Diamondhead:

Voters living in this city (as well as Hot Spring and Garland County) are being asked to approve the second phase of the expansion for the city's boundaries to include an area in Sections 27 and 28, Township 3 South, Range 18 West, Hot Spring County, Arkansas.

Sources: Annexation Info | City of Diamondhead, Garland County Local Issues 2026

El Dorado:

Voters living in this city are being asked to decide whether to authorize Sunday sales of alcohol. 

Source: Union County Clerk's Office 

Eureka Springs:

Voters living in this city are being asked to approve a 1% sales and use tax for use within the city for a period of 20 years, as well as two bond separate bond proposals, including (1) up to a maximum of $10 million in bonds for improvements to the city’s water facilities, including water line improvements, and (2) up to a maximum of $10 million in bonds for improvements to the city’s sewer facilities, including sewer treatment plant and sewer line improvements. If the 1% sales and use tax is approved by the voters, the revenue would first be used as needed to repay voter approved bonds, and finance capital improvements. The proposed tax is not dependent on either bond proposal being approved or bonds being issued.

Additionally, voters in this city are being asked to approve Ordinance No. 2357, which created e a permanent entertainment district at Pine Mountain Village in Eureka Springs. According to the county's sample ballot, a FOR vote would be to reject the ordinance. An AGAINST vote would be to keep the ordinance. 

Source: Carroll County Clerk's Office

Fort Smith:

Voters living in this city are being asked to vote on whether to change the city's form of government from the current city-administrator system to a mayor-council form of government. If passed, the new form of government would begin with elections in 2028 and would shift management responsibility toward the mayor.

Source: Fort Smith ordinance

Harrison:

Voters in this city are being asked to decide whether to approve a 0.25% local sales and use tax, with 65% of the revenue dedicated to maintaining city police and fire services and 35% dedicated to general municipal services, including building and ground maintenance, accounting, human resources, IT services, cemetery maintenance, and city administration.

Source: Ordinance No. 1552 Calling a Special Election in the City of Harrison, Arkansas

Holiday Island:

Voters living in this city have two ballot measures they are being asked to decide (1) whether to authorize Sunday sales of alcohol, and (2) whether to approve a 2.5% local sales and use tax for general fund expenses and capital improvements.

Source: Carroll County Clerk's Office

Horseshoe Bend:

Voters living in this city are being asked to decide whether to approve the “Backyard Poultry Regulation and Animal Ordinance Modernization Act,” a citizen-initiated city ordinance that would allow residents to keep regulated domesticated poultry, including chickens and ducks, within city limits. If approved, the measure would establish limits on the number of birds, sanitation requirements, enclosure standards, along with setback requirements; prohibiting roosters and commercial breeding; and clarifying which animals are permitted within the city. 

Source: Petition Ballot Title

Hot Springs:

Voters living in this city are being asked to decide whether to authorize Sunday sales of alcohol.

Source: Garland County 2026 Local Issues

Jacksonville:

Voters in this city are being asked whether to shift to ward-based elections for city council members. Even though the city currently has ward representation, all voters in the city can elect a council member. This proposal would shift to where the ward representative is elected only by the voters in the ward.

Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Jonesboro:

Voters in this city are being asked to decide whether to approve a city 5/8-cent (0.625%) sales and use tax dedicated to fund public safety initiatives, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance, and operations.

Sources: JonesboroRightNow.com, Public Safety Sales Use Tax Election County Clerk Filing

Lavaca:

Voters living in this city are being asked to decide whether to approve a 2% local sales and use tax that would remain in effect until June 30, 2037.

Source: Sebastian County  

Lewisville:

Voters living in this city are being asked to increase the city sales tax rate from 1% to 2.5%. If approved, the tax would be levied only on the first $2,500 of each single transaction.

Source: Lafayette County Clerk's Office 

Little Flock:

Voters living in this city are being asked to decide whether to approve an additional 1% sales and compensating use tax to be used for general operation purposes.  

Source: Benton County Clerk's Office

Ozark:

Voters living in this city are being asked to approve a temporary 1% sales and use tax as well as two bond issues, including (1) up to $2,825,000 in bonds to pay off an existing bond issue, and (2) up to $18 million in bonds to finance betterments, improvements, upgrades, and expansion of the city’s water and sewer system. 

Source: Franklin County Clerk's Office

Parkin:

Voters living in this city are being asked to approve a permanent 2% sales and use tax with the revenue from the tax going into the city’s general fund. 

Source: Cross County Clerk's Office

Pleasant Plains:

Voters in this town are being asked whether to approve a change to the terms of town council members from two-year terms to staggered four-year terms. If approved by the voters, the transition would begin in November 2028 with council members representing positions one, three, and five would be elected to four-year terms with members representing positions two and four to be elected to a two-year term in November 2028 and thereafter would be elected by four-year terms.

Source: Independence County Clerk's Office

Pine Bluff:

Voters in this city are being asked to decide whether to authorize Sunday sales of alcohol. 

Source: Pine Bluff Commercial

Rogers:

Voters living in this city are being asked to approve a 1% sales and use tax along with six bond issues, including (1) issuing up to $118 million in bonds to pay off previous bond issues, (2) issuing up to $195.5 million in bonds for streets, roads, trails and bridges, drainage, flood control, sidewalks, traffic signals and related improvements, (3) issuing up to $81.5 million for financing all or a portion of park recreation facilities and related improvement and any necessary land acquisition, (4) issuing up to $32,750,000 in bonds for fire departments facilities, equipment, and apparatus, (5) issuing up to $20,750,000 in bonds for police department facilities, equipment, and apparatus, (6) issuing up to $8,750,000 in bonds for animal services facilities, equipment, and apparatus. If the refunding bonds are approved, the proposed 1% sales and use tax would replace the city’s existing sales and use tax levied in 2018, and the new tax would remain in effect until the bond debt has been paid. 

Source: Benton County Clerk's Office

Siloam Springs:

Voters living in this city are being asked to approve a 0.625% sales and use tax whether to issue up to $55 million in bonds for the purpose of financing extensions, betterments and improvements to the city’s wastewater facilities, including wastewater treatment plant and sewer collection infrastructure. If approved by the voters, the bonds would be repaid through the 0.625% sales and use tax, which would replace the city’s existing 0.625% local sales and use tax that was previously levied in 2018 to retire bonds to finance water improvements. 

Source: Benton County Clerk's Office

Strong:

Voters living in this city are being asked to approve a 1% sales and use tax with 0.5% of the revenue from the tax used for economic development and the remaining 0.5% earmarked for administration.

Source: Strong city council ordinance

Ward:

Voters living in this city are being asked whether to establish four-year terms for the members of the Ward City Council. If approved, city council members would serve four-year terms instead of the city's current term structure of two-year terms.

Source: Lonoke County Clerk   

West Fork:

Voters living in this city and in the proposed annexation area are being asked to vote on the approval of whether to annex unincorporated territory including Sections 19–21, 28–29, and 31–32 of Township 15 North, Range 30 West, and part of Section 6 of Township 14 North, including all rights-of-way of roads adjoining the described area. If the annexation is approved, police protection, fire protection, solid-waste service, and street maintenance will be extended to the annexed area within three years.

Source: Ordinance No. 2026-541

Voters living in West Fork will decide whether to authorize the sale of alcohol.

Source: Washington County Election Commission

Winslow:

Voters living in this city will decide whether to authorize the sale of alcohol.

Source: Washington County Election Commission

Wilson:

Voters living in this city are being asked to change to the terms of the city's aldermen from two-year terms to staggered four-year terms. If approved by the voters, Aldermen holding Position One from each ward would be elected to four-year terms in the November 2026 general election, with Aldermen holding Position 2 being initially elected to two-year terms and thereafter four-year terms; this would result in one alderman from each ward being elected to a four-year term every two years.

Source: Mississippi County Clerk's Office

Fire Departments with Special Elections

Bismark Fire Protective Association:

Voters in this fire district in Hot Spring County are being asked to whether to collect annual dues paid to the fire association through annual county property tax statements.

Source: Hot Spring County sample ballot  Malvern Daily Record

Greenbrier:

Voters living in this city are being asked to vote on the approval of the Greenbrier Volunteer Fire Department collecting fire department dues through annual county property tax statements, replacing the current voluntary tax while lowering the annual amount from $40 to $30 per residence via property tax bills.

Source: TheCabin.net

Northeast Benton County (NEBCO) Volunteer Fire Department:

Voters in this fire district in Benton County are being asked whether to increase annual dues going forward by a certain amount depending on the property's appraised value and to include dues on the annual county property tax statement. 

Sources: Benton County Clerk's Office  40/29