By Angie Ramirez

By November, polling places all over Arkansas will see long lines stretching out the doors. But before the general election, communities are first preparing for a quieter, yet critical step. 

Midterm elections are held halfway through a president’s four-year term to determine which candidates will fill a wide range of federal, state, and local offices. This year, the primary elections run from March 3 through Sept. 15 and will decide who appears on the ballot in Nov. for positions including the U.S. Senate, U.S. House districts, secretary of state, state Supreme Court Position 3, county sheriff and various tax initiatives. Arkansas primaries are held on March 3, with runoff elections to be scheduled for March 31. 

“I think midterms and local elections are incredibly important because those are the ones that are really making decisions that impact your own life,” Political science instructor at the University of Arkansas Summer Woehr said. “The people who are elected in these elections are the ones making those day-to-day decisions that are going to have that effect.”

Despite the stakes, Arkansas is known to have a low voter turnout in midterm elections. The past midterm election saw only 41.5% of registered voters cast ballots, placing the state among the lowest in the nation. The Arkansas secretary of state’s office projected that just 20% to 25% of the state’s 1.8 million registered voters will participate in this year’s primaries.

Woehr said that one of the main factors for the low turnout is the lack of competitive races. 

“We see a lot of people running against candidates that maybe don’t have quite the same level of experience, expertise, knowledge as the person holding office, the incumbent,” Woehr said. “So, it creates this perception that it doesn’t really matter what voters do and they believe that it doesn’t matter if they show up and vote.” 

In the 2026 cycle, several high-profile statewide incumbents face little to no primary competition. Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is running unopposed in the Republican primary for a second term. Key statewide officials such as the state’s Republican lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor and treasurer also face no primary challengers in their primaries.

Young voters are one of the groups with a consistently low turnout. According to the U.S. Elections Project, voters ages 18 to 29 had the lowest participation rate in the previous midterm election, with 25%, compared with 50% among voters ages 45 to 59.  

Still, some students say that the mindset needs to change and that civic engagement begins with showing up at the polls. 

“I think voting is a powerful voice and it’s our privilege as adults to use that voice to create change,” U of A student Fiona Pearce said. “Everyone should vote.”

Without young voters participating, policy decisions are left to the older generation, whose experiences and perspectives may differ from those of younger residents and not reflect the concerns that young adults are facing today. 

“Voting is our role, and it helps create a system that benefits everyone,” Samantha Sievert, also a U of A student, said.

Woehr said colleges should provide students with information about upcoming elections and deadlines to have a higher turnout for elections. 

“I think one of the key aspects for a university or a college is educating young people and by that just providing information for you guys,” Woehr said. “So, making sure that students are aware of upcoming elections, making sure that you are aware of that, and making sure that one vote in some of these races could make a significant difference.”

Tanner Quiett, another U of A student, took the opportunity to vote early while visiting her home in Texas. 

“The whole process took me about 10 minutes,” Quiett said. “Definitely way better than going on Election Day, and there’s also significantly more locations to vote, in most counties, for early voting.”
Through the Arkansas Secretary of State’s website, residents can check their voter registration status, confirm polling locations and review sample ballots to prepare for the Nov. midterm general election. For local election information, including early voting locations and key deadlines, voters in Fayetteville can visit the Washington County Election Commission. Voters are encouraged to research candidates and make a plan ahead of time to ensure their voices are heard.