Following a hearing on Wednesday afternoon, a Pulaski County Circuit Court judge said she will issue a ruling soon as to whether the special election to replace Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R-Branch) must take place prior to June 9.

The answer to that question will determine whether the voters of Senate District 26 will have representation during the Arkansas Legislature’s 2026 fiscal session, which is scheduled to begin in early April. And the outcome could affect Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ efforts to win legislative funding for a new 3,000-bed prison she hopes to build in south Franklin County, which is part of District 26. Stubblefield was against the prison and helped repeatedly block funding for it in the 2025 legislative session.

State law requires a special election within 150 d

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