Arkansas held its general election on November 6, 2018, deciding 118 legislative seats and 7 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Republicans kept every statewide office and 76 of 100 House seats. Democrats' two pickups in Northwest Arkansas were offset by two Republican wins over Democratic incumbents elsewhere.
- Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) won a second term by about 34 points over Jared Henderson (D). Land Commissioner John Thurston (R) won the open secretary of state's seat, and Tommy Land (R) succeeded him as land commissioner. The incumbent lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, and auditor all won by more than 25 points.
- In November, 5 legislators lost:
- Voters strongly backed all three constitutional amendments on the ballot. Issue 5 raises the minimum wage to $11 an hour by 2021. Issue 4, the closest vote of the three, authorizes four new casinos in Crittenden, Garland, Pope, and Jefferson counties. Issue 2 writes a photo ID requirement for voting into the constitution, a step largely moot already: the state Supreme Court had upheld the 2017 voter ID law in October.
- Across the 118 legislative races, 4 seats changed party: Democrats picked up two and Republicans four, though two of the Republican gains were incumbents re-elected without opposition who had switched from Democrat after the 2016 election. No other race finished inside two points, and 63 seats drew a single candidate.
Legislature
- House (100 seats): 24 D, 75 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 24 D, 76 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (35 seats): 9 D, 25 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 9 D, 26 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
Statewide races
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Issue 2 | Requires a voter photo identification to vote | Passed (79.47% yes) |
| Issue 4 | Authorizes four new casinos in specific counties to specific licensees | Passed (54.1% yes) |
| Issue 5 | Increases the state's minimum wage to $11 per hour by 2021 | Passed (68.46% yes) |