2026 Arkansas county judge elections

2026 Arkansas county judge elections
November 3, 2026
75 elected county executives
 
Party Republican Democratic Independent
Current seats 66 9 2
Status of the incumbents:
     Republican incumbent      Republican incumbent retiring or lost renomination
     Democratic incumbent      Democratic incumbent retiring or lost renomination
     Independent incumbent      Independent incumbent retiring

Elections for county judges will be held in the U.S. State of Arkansas in each of its 75 counties. County judges are the equivalent to county executives.

These elections will take place alongside races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, state senate, state house, and numerous other state and local offices.

Retirements

Republican

Democratic

Incumbents defeated

Republican

  • Drew County: Jessie L. Griffin lost renomination to Michael L. Owens.
  • Poinsett County: J. C. Carter lost renomination to Randy Mills.
  • Prairie County: Lawrence Holloway lost renomination to Johnny Reidhar.

Democratic

Pulaski County

Three-term Democratic incumbent judge Barry Hyde ran for re-election but lost renomination in the primary to pastor Wendell Griffen.

Democratic primary

Nominee

  • Wendell Griffen, pastor and former circuit judge

Eliminated in primary

  • Barry Hyde, incumbent Judge

Results

2026 Pulaski County Judge election, Democratic primary
Unofficial results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Wendell Griffen 25,638 62.70%
Democratic Barry Hyde (incumbent) 15,251 37.30%
Total votes 40,889 100.00%

Republican primary

Only one candidate filed, so the Republican primary was canceled.

Nominee

  • Michael Rushin

General election

Results

2026 Pulaski County Judge election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Wendell Griffen
Republican Michael Rushin

Benton County

Three-term Republican incumbent Judge Barry Moehring declined to run for re-election. State representative Austin McCollum won the Republican primary and is running unopposed in the general election.[3]

Republican primary

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

  • Carrie Perrien Smith

Declined

  • Barry Moehring, incumbent Judge[4]

Results

2026 Benton County Judge election, Republican primary
Unofficial results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Austin McCollum (incumbent) 12,266 64.06%
Republican Carrie Perrien Smith 6,882 35.94%
Total votes 19,148 100.00%

General election

Results

2026 Benton County Judge election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Austin McCollum (incumbent)

Washington County

One-term incumbent Republican judge Patrick Deakins is running for re-election. He advanced to the Republican runoff election, but trailed by seventeen percentage points to political newcomer Tim Shepard in the first round.[5]

Republican primary

Advanced to runoff

  • Patrick Deakins, incumbent Judge
  • Tim Shepard, police administrator

Eliminated in primary

  • Mark Scalise, attorney and businessman

Results

First round
2026 Washington County Judge election, Republican primary
Unofficial results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Shepard 8,018 48.48%
Republican Patrick Deakins (incumbent) 5,198 31.43%
Republican Mark Scalise 3,324 20.10%
Total votes 16,540 100.00%
Runoff
2026 Washington County Judge election, Republican runoff
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Shepard
Republican Patrick Deakins (incumbent)

Democratic primary

Only one candidate filed, so the Democratic primary was canceled.

Nominee

  • Dana Deree

General election

Results

2026 Washington County Judge election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican TBD
Democratic Dana Deree

Faulkner County

Three-term incumbent Republican judge Allen Dodson is running for re-election unopposed.[6]

General election

Results

2026 Faulkner County Judge election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Allen Dodson (incumbent)

Saline County

One-term incumbent Republican judge Matt Brumley is running for re-election unopposed.[6]

General election

Results

2026 Saline County Judge election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Matt Brumley (incumbent)

Sebastian County

One-term incumbent Republican judge Steve Hotz is running for re-election.

Republican primary

Nominee

  • Steve Hotz, incumbent Judge

Eliminated in primary

  • Ken Blevins

Results

2026 Sebastian County Judge election, Republican primary
Unofficial results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Hotz (incumbent) 8,166 79.72%
Republican Ken Blevins 2,077 20.28%
Total votes 10,243 100.00%

General election

Results

2026 Sebastian County Judge election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Hotz (incumbent)

Other counties (A–W)

Every county in Arkansas will hold a county judge election in November 2026.

County Incumbent Candidates[6][7]
Judge Party Status
Arkansas Thomas Eddie Best Republican Incumbent retired.
  • ▌Eddie Roberson (Republican)
  • ▌Michael Blasengame (Independent)
Ashley Jim Hudson Republican Incumbent running for re-election.
  • ▌Jim Hudson (Republican)
  • ▌Jim Wells (Independent)
Drew Jessie L. Griffin Republican Incumbent lost renomination.
  • ▌Robert Akin (Republican)
  • ▌Michael L. Owens (Independent)
  • Republican primary:
  • ▌Y Michael L. Owens: 844 votes, 53.69%
  • ▌Jessie L. Griffin: 728 votes, 46.31%
Baxter Kevin Litty Republican Incumbent running for re-election.
  • ▌ Kevin Litty (Republican)
  • Republican primary:
  • ▌Y Kevin Litty (Republican) 4,467 votes, 62.05%
  • ▌Eric Payne (Republican) 2,732 votes, 37.95%
Clay Mike Patterson Republican Incumbent running for re-election.
  • Republican runoff:
  • ▌Mike Patterson
  • ▌Todd Watson
Republican primary:
  • ▌Y Mike Patterson: 1,191 votes, 44.79%
  • ▌Y Todd Watson: 782 votes, 29.41%
  • ▌Rob Chandler: 686 votes, 25.80%
Lincoln Buddy Earnest Republican Incumbent running for re-election.
  • ▌Randy Morgan (Independent)
  • ▌J.T. Smith (Independent)
  • Republican runoff:
  • ▌Buddy Earnest
  • ▌John Powell
Republican primary:
  • ▌Y Buddy Earnest: 559 votes, 44.65%
  • ▌Y John Powell: 430 votes, 34.35%
  • ▌Don Woodard: 263 votes, 21.01%
Madison Larry D. Garrett Republican Incumbent running for re-election.
  • Republican runoff:
  • ▌Larry D. Garrett
  • ▌Ted Walker
Republican primary:
  • ▌Y Larry D. Garrett: 1,648 votes, 45.50%
  • ▌Y Ted Walker: 1,188 votes, 32.80%
  • ▌JR Scott: 786 votes, 21.70%
Poinsett J. C. Carter Republican Incumbent lost renomination.
  • ▌Kevin W. Caldwell (Independent)
  • ▌John K. Hutchison (Independent)
  • ▌Randy Mill (Republican)
  • Republican primary:
  • ▌Y Randy Mills: 1,016 votes, 58.19%
  • ▌J. C. Carter: 730 votes, 41.81%
Prairie Lawrence Holloway Republican Incumbent lost renomination.
  • ▌Johnny Reidhar (Republican)
  • Republican primary:
  • ▌Y Johnny Reidhar: 1,211 votes, 74.52%
  • ▌Lawrence Holloway: 414 votes, 25.48%
Woodruff Michael John Gray Independent Incumbent running for re-election.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bradley County Judge Klay McKinney Announces He Will Not Seek Reelection". Saline River News. 15 September 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  2. ^ Gill, Brady (7 August 2025). "County Judge Robert McAdoo announces he will not seek another term". Camden News. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  3. ^ Santos, Monica (3 March 2026). "Austin McCollum wins Benton County Judge race". KNWA News. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  4. ^ Roberts, Adam (25 July 2025). "Benton County Judge Barry Moehring won't seek fourth term, plans to focus on family". 4029 TV. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  5. ^ Sissom, Tom (3 March 2026). "Newcomer Shepard to face incumbent Deakins in runoff for Washington County judge GOP nomination". Northwest Arkanas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  6. ^ a b c "2026 Primary Election County, District Officials County, District Officials" (PDF). Association of Arkansas Counties. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  7. ^ "2026 Preferential Primary". Arkansas State Elections. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
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