Arkansas held its general election on November 3, 2020, deciding 117 legislative seats. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Republicans, already in firm control, gained seats in both chambers, and Democrats managed only a single pickup.
- All but one of the seats that changed hands went to Republicans, most of them taken from Democratic incumbents:
- Senate: Charles Beckham (R) unseated Bruce Maloch (D) in Senate District 12 by about 12 points, and Ben Gilmore (R) beat Eddie Cheatham (D) in Senate District 26 by about 20.
- House: Mark McElroy (R) ousted Don Glover (D) in House District 11 by about 50 votes, and Howard Beaty (R) beat LeAnne Burch (D) in House District 9 by about 5 points.
- House, by court ruling: In House District 12, David Tollett (R) took a Democratic-held seat after the courts ruled the Democratic nominee ineligible over misdemeanor convictions dating to 1990.
- Ashley Hudson (D) unseated Jim Sorvillo (R) in House District 32 by 24 votes, Democrats' lone pickup. Sorvillo challenged the result over disqualified absentee ballots mixed into the count, but the state Claims Commission unanimously rejected his claims in January and recommended that the House accept the result.
- Overall, 6 seats changed hands and 5 incumbents lost, Sorvillo the only Republican among them. Beyond the flips, 1 race finished inside two points: Carlton Wing (R) held House District 38 by 16 votes over Matthew Stallings (D). Most seats were never in play, with 67 drawing no major-party opponent.
- Voters approved 2 of the 3 statewide measures. Issue 1 continued a half-cent sales tax for transportation, and Issue 2 replaced the 16-year lifetime cap on legislative service with a limit of 12 consecutive years, letting members return after four years out of office. Voters rejected Issue 3, which would have changed the requirements for citizen initiatives and legislative referrals.
Legislature
- House (100 seats): 24 D, 76 R before the election, 22 D, 78 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (35 seats): 9 D, 26 R before the election, 7 D, 28 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Issue 1 | Continues a 0.5 percent sales tax for transportation | Passed (55.33% yes) |
| Issue 2 | Changes term limits to twelve consecutive years for state legislators with the opportunity to return after a four-year break | Passed (55.38% yes) |
| Issue 3 | Changes initiative process and legislative referral requirements | Failed (44.07% yes) |