2022 Arkansas elections

2022 Arkansas elections

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A general election was held in the U.S. state of Arkansas on November 8, 2022. All of Arkansas' executive officers were up for election as well as all four of the state's seats in the United States House of Representatives and a U.S. senator. Primaries were held on May 24, 2022, with runoff primaries on June 21. Polls were open from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM CST.[1]

Governor

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Incumbent Republican governor Asa Hutchinson was term-limited and not eligible for re-election. Two Republicans and five Democrats were qualified to be major party candidates. Following the primary elections, Republican Sarah Sanders faced Democrat Chris Jones in the general election.

Lieutenant governor

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The incumbent lieutenant governor was term-limited and instead ran for attorney general. Two Democrats, six Republicans, and a Libertarian ran for lieutenant governor.[2] In November 2021, retiring attorney general Leslie Rutledge withdrew from the governor's race and ran for lieutenant governor instead.[3] Rutledge won the Republican primary and easily defeated Democrat Kelly Krout in the general election.[4]

Secretary of state

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Incumbent secretary John Thurston ran for re-election. Originally facing two other Republicans and two Democrats, Thurston won the Republican primary and defeated Democratic candidate Anna Beth Gorman in the general election.[5][6]

Attorney general

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Incumbent attorney general Leslie Rutledge was term-limited and not eligible for re-election, and instead ran for lieutenant governor. Incumbent lieutenant governor Tim Griffin won the Republican primary on May 24 and defeated Democrat Jesse Gibson in the general election.[7]

State treasurer

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Incumbent treasurer Dennis Milligan was term-limited and not eligible for re-election, and instead ran for state auditor. In February 2021, Republican Mathew Pitsch declared his candidacy for treasurer of Arkansas in the 2022 election,[8] though lost his party primary to Arkansas House representative Mark Lowery.[9] Lowery defeated Democratic candidate Pam Whitaker in the general election.[10]

State auditor

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Incumbent auditor Andrea Lea was term-limited and unable to run for re-election.[11] Term-limited state treasurer Dennis Milligan entered the race as the Republican candidate and won against Democratic candidate Diamond Arnold-Johnson and Libertarian Simeon Snow.[12] Notably, Pulaski County, home to Little Rock, only voted for the Democratic nominee by a 4.7% margin.

Candidates

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Republicans

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Libertarian

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  • Simeon Snow, candidate for State Auditor

Results

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Results by county:
  Milligan
  •   40–50%
      50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Arnold-Johnson
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
2022 Arkansas auditor election[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Dennis Milligan 595,166 66.79%
Democratic Diamond Arnold-Johnson 258,154 28.97%
Libertarian Simeon Snow 37,825 4.24%
Total votes 891,145 100.00% N/A


Commissioner of state lands

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Incumbent land commissioner Tommy Land ran for re-election and defeated Democratic candidate Darlene Gaines in the general election.[14]

Candidates

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Republicans

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Democrats

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  • Darlene Goldi Gaines,[15] business executive
Results by county:
  Land
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  Gaines
  •   50–60%
2022 Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Tommy Land (incumbent) 611,719 68.77%
Democratic Darlene Goldi Gaines 277,750 31.23%
Total votes 889,469 100.00% N/A

United States Senate

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Incumbent senator John Boozman ran for a third term, easily defeating Democratic challenger Natalie James.

United States House of Representatives

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District 1

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Republican incumbent Rick Crawford ran for a seventh term, defeating Democratic challenger Monte Hodges.

District 2

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Republican incumbent French Hill ran for a fifth term, defeating Democratic challenger Quintessa Hathaway.

District 3

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Republican incumbent Steve Womack ran for a seventh term, defeating Democratic challenger Lauren Mallett-Hays.

District 4

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Republican incumbent Bruce Westerman ran for a fifth term, defeating Democratic challenger John White.

Ballot measures

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Issue 1

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The "Legislative Authority to Call a Special Session Amendment" would have given the legislature the authority to call itself into an extraordinary session, instead of the governor. The measure failed passage.[16]

Issue 2

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The "60% Supermajority Vote Requirement for Constitutional Amendments and Ballot Initiatives Measure" would have required 60% majority for voters to pass ballot measures, instead of the required simple majority of 50%. The measure failed passage.[16]

Issue 3

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Issue 3
An amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to create the "Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment"; and to provide that government may never burden a person's freedom of religion except in the rare circumstance that the government demonstrates that application of the burden to the person is in furtherance of a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling government interest.
Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 433,473 49.59%
No 440,686 50.41%
Valid votes 874,159 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00%
Total votes 874,159 100.00%

Results by county

No

  50–60%

Yes

  60–70%
  50–60%

The "Government Burden of Free Exercise of Religion Amendment" would have amended the state constitution to include language that the government cannot burden a person's freedom of religion. The measure failed passage.[16]

Issue 4

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Issue 4
An amendment to authorize the possession, personal use, and consumption of cannabis by adults, to authorize the cultivation and sale of cannabis by licensed commercial facilities, and to provide for the regulation of those facilities.
Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 392,938 43.75%
No 505,128 56.25%
Valid votes 898,066 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00%
Total votes 898,066 100.00%

Results by county

No

  60–70%
  50–60%

Yes

  50–60%

The "Marijuana Legalization Initiative" would have legalized recreational use of marijuana for people over 21 years old and enacted a tax on marijuana sales. The measure failed passage.[16][17]

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "2016 Arkansas Code: Title 7, Chapter 5, Subchapter 3; § 7-5-304 – Opening and closing polls – Time". Justia; US law. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  2. ^ "Who is running for lieutenant governor in Arkansas? Meet the candidates". Fort Smith Times Record. June 2, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021 – via MSN.
  3. ^ De Millo, Andrew (November 10, 2021). "Arkansas attorney general Rutledge drops bid for governor". Associated Press. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  4. ^ "Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Election Results 2022". NBC News. December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  5. ^ "2022 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan Judicial General Election Official Results". Clarity Elections. Arkansas State. May 24, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022 – via Scytl.
  6. ^ "Arkansas Secretary of State Election Results 2022". NBC News. December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  7. ^ "Arkansas Attorney General Election Results 2022". NBC News. December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  8. ^ "Sen. Mathew Pitsch to run for Arkansas Treasurer". 5newsonline.com. February 1, 2021. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  9. ^ "2022 Arkansas Treasurer Republican Primary Results: Treasurer". USA Today. May 25, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  10. ^ Herzog, Rachel (May 8, 2022). "Pitsch touts integrity, Lowery talks fiscal conservatism in Republican primary for Arkansas treasurer". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  11. ^ "Arkansas Auditor election, 2022". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  12. ^ "Arkansas Auditor Election Results". The New York Times. November 8, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  13. ^ "Results".
  14. ^ "Arkansas Land Commissioner Election Results]". The New York Times. November 8, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  15. ^ Eley, Ashton (October 11, 2021). "North Little Rock Democrat to seek land commissioner post". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  16. ^ a b c d "Arkansas State – 2022 General Election and Nonpartisan Judicial Runoff Election Results". results.enr.clarityelections.com. April 25, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  17. ^ "Arkansas Issue 4, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2022)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
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