Gov. Sanders appeals District 26 special election ruling
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Secretary of State Cole Jester are appealing a Pulaski County judge’s order requiring an earlier special election to fill the vacant Arkansas Senate District 26 seat.
In a notice filed Oct. 22, attorneys for Sanders and Jester said they are appealing to the Arkansas Supreme Court, arguing that the judge erred in granting Franklin County resident Colt Shelby’s petition. The appeal also challenges the court’s decision to deny the state’s claim of sovereign immunity.
Shelby had sued the governor and secretary of state after Sanders set the special primary for March 3, 2026, and the general election for June 9, 2026, nearly nine months after the death of Sen. Gary Stubblefield, who represented District 26.
On Oct. 22, a Pulaski County Circuit Court judge ruled in Shelby’s favor, finding that the election must be held “as soon as practical” and within 150 days of the vacancy — meaning before Feb. 23, 2026.
https://www.nwahomepage.com/river-valley-news/gov-sanders-appeals-district-26-special-election-ruling/