Bill > SB297

This bill amends Arkansas law to establish new requirements for municipalities regarding the election of city council members. Specifically, the bill mandates that cities must file an ordinance describing their council member election method (such as at-large or by ward) with the county clerk by August 31 of the year before the election. For cities of the first class, there is a special provision allowing them to file such an ordinance by January 1, 2026. Once an ordinance is filed, any changes to the election method will require a new ordinance to be passed and filed by the same August 31 deadline. If a city of the first class or second class fails to file the required ordinance, their council members will automatically be elected at-large. The bill also makes a minor technical change to election commissioner language, specifying that the county board of election commissioners, rather than the city, will ensure voting precincts are properly established in each ward. These changes aim to provide more clarity and consistency in municipal council elections across different classes of cities in Arkansas.

Government Affairs

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=sb297&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R