Arkansas governor schedules special election to fill vacancy created by state senator’s resignation

A special election to fill the Senate District 18 vacancy resulting from former Sen. Jonathan Dismang’s resignation this week will be Jan. 5, 2027, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Friday. 

A special primary election for eligible parties will coincide with the Nov. 3 general election. 

Dismang, who stepped down Tuesday, was named vice president of external affairs for Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. The former Republican lawmaker, will join the organization next month and succeed former state Rep. Bill Gossage as chief of external affairs following his retirement in January 2027, according to a press release.

Sen. Jonathan Dismang, an architect of Arkansas’ Medicaid expansion, stepping down

Candidates have from noon Monday until noon Thursday to file to run for the vacancy in Senate District 18, which includes White County and parts of Faulkner and Cleburne counties. 

Independent candidates can circulate petitions of support between Sept. 28 and Oct. 1. Petitions must be submitted to the secretary of state’s office by noon Oct. 1. 

Will Moore, a Republican and Searcy’s city attorney, announced his intention to run for the seat Tuesday.

The vacancy leaves Republicans with a 27-6 majority in the Senate.

Five legislative vacancies are being filled in 2026. Republican Sen. Brad Simon and Democratic Rep. Alex Holladay won special elections in March to represent Senate District 26 and House District 70, respectively. 

Republican Bill Teeter won the House District 44 special election in August to replace the late Republican Rep. Stan Berry.  

Eudora Mayor Tomeka Butler, a Democrat, and Rison Republican Harrell Wilson are vying for the Senate District 1 seat in a special election that coincides with November’s midterms. The winner will replace former Republican Sen. Ben Gilmore who resigned in June to work for Attorney General Tim Griffin.  

Sanders has also scheduled a special election during November’s midterms to fill Rep. Austin McCollum’s seat, which became vacant when the Bentonville Republican resigned following domestic violence charges.