LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A hearing in the lawsuit against Arkansas took place on Wednesday afternoon after Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders decided not to hold the special election in Senate District 26 until after the fiscal session.

The seat remains vacant following the death of Senator Gary Stubblefield , which happened in early September. However, state law requires the seat to be filled within 150 days, unless the governor thinks it might be too inconvenient.

The attorney representing Franklin County resident Colt Shelby argued that there can be an election for the vacancy before committee hearings begin in March of 2026 for the fiscal session.

Meanwhile, the current special election is set for June 2026 after it was changed from the original November 2026 date.

“The discretion simply

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