An Amendment To The Arkansas Constitution Requiring The General Assembly To Establish By Law A Revised Election Process.
SJR12 is a proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution that would require the General Assembly to create a new election system for most state, county, federal congressional, and nonpartisan offices. Under the proposal, all candidates in a primary, special primary, or nonpartisan election would appear on a single ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two vote-getters would advance to the general election or special election. The measure also preserves party identification on the ballot for partisan races and treats unaffiliated candidates as “Independent.”
The resolution also directs lawmakers to design separate rules for presidential elections. It excludes presidential primaries and the general presidential election from the top-two system, instead requiring a party-based presidential primary to choose delegates to national nominating conventions and a separate process for selecting Arkansas’s presidential electors. The amendment would also repeal an existing constitutional provision on one-candidate elections and update another provision governing how candidates are placed on ballots.
If adopted by voters, the amendment would not itself fully change election procedures immediately; instead, it would require the legislature to enact implementing laws covering candidate filing, ballot access, election timing, tie votes, vacancies, write-in candidacies, and the mechanics of presidential primaries and elector selection. It would take effect January 1, 2027, and apply to elections occurring on or after January 1, 2028.
The overall sentiment in the available record is neutral to supportive in tone, but there is no committee transcript or vote history to show debate, endorsements, or opposition. The bill’s structure suggests a major election-law overhaul, so likely areas of interest or concern include ballot access, party influence, the top-two primary model, and how the new system would affect candidates and voters in partisan versus nonpartisan races.
The main point of contention implied by the text is the shift away from traditional party-based primaries for most offices, while preserving party-based processes for presidential nominations. That creates a split system that could draw questions about voter choice, party rights, and implementation complexity. Because the measure leaves many details to future legislation, another likely issue is how much discretion the General Assembly would have in designing the new election framework.
SJR12 would amend the Arkansas Constitution to require a new statewide election framework for most federal, state, county, and nonpartisan offices, including a top-two advancement system and single-ballot primary-style elections. It would repeal the current constitutional provision on one-candidate elections and revise ballot-placement rules, while carving out municipal and local offices and excluding presidential elections from the top-two model. The amendment would also obligate the legislature to pass extensive implementing laws governing candidate filing, ballot access, election administration, presidential primaries, and elector selection.
There is no recorded committee discussion or vote history in the provided materials, so the bill’s sentiment cannot be measured from debate or roll calls. Based on the text alone, the proposal appears to be a significant structural election reform with a policy rationale centered on simplifying ballots and advancing the top two candidates, but the absence of discussion means there is no documented support or opposition in the record provided.
The likely points of contention are the proposed top-two election system, the reduction of party-based nomination control in most races, and the separate treatment of presidential elections. Supporters would likely favor broader ballot access and a more unified election process, while opponents may object to weakening party primaries, changing how candidates advance, and giving the legislature broad authority to fill in the details. The split between nonpresidential races and presidential nomination/elector rules may also raise concerns about consistency and implementation.