Early voting for the 2026 midterm election in Arkansas begins Monday, October 19, and will continue through Monday, November 2, ahead of the general election on Tuesday, November 3. Polls will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, with all early voting ending at 5 p.m. the day before Election Day.
Voters across the state will have a chance to weigh in on races for U.S. Senate, Arkansas governor, the state Legislature, and other offices. Over 1.85 million Arkansans are registered to vote, according to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office. Of these, more than 1.6 million are classified as “Party Optional,” meaning they are not affiliated with a political party. The state’s registered voters also include approximately 155,000 Republicans, 85,000 Democrats, 755 Libertarians, and 125 Green Party members.
### Eligibility to Vote To vote in this election, residents must have registered by October 5. Individuals who submitted voter registration applications should wait to receive their personalized voter registration cards to confirm their eligibility. The Arkansas Secretary of State’s office advises voters not to assume their registration is complete until the card has been received, as processing can take several weeks. To confirm voter registration status, residents can contact their local county clerk or visit www.voterview.ar-nova.org.
### Updating Voter Registration Registered voters whose name or address has changed may update their information at an early voting site, according to state officials.
### Early Voting Locations Early voting is generally conducted at county clerks’ offices. However, counties with populations exceeding 15,000 may have designated additional early voting locations, as required under a 2025 law passed in response to a legal case in Crittenden County. Local newspapers publish site locations for these counties. For polling site details, voters can contact their local county clerk or visit www.voterview.ar-nova.org.
### Identification Requirements State law mandates that all Arkansas voters present photo identification to verify their voter registration. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver’s license or a passport. Voters who arrive at the polls without photo identification can cast a provisional ballot, but they must provide the required documents to the county board of election commissioners or the county clerk by noon on the Monday following the election for their ballot to be counted.
### Preparing to Vote To find sample ballots and learn more about the races, voters can contact their county clerk or visit www.voterview.ar-nova.org. Information on candidates for federal, statewide, legislative, and other offices is available through non-governmental voter guides such as the Arkansas Advocate’s 2026 Voter Guide.
Election officials urge voters to plan ahead, confirm their registration, and locate their polling sites to ensure a smooth early voting process.