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2026 Arkansas county judge elections

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

Republican primary

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

Nominee

  • Michael Rushin

General election

Results

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.

Republican primary

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

  • Carrie Perrien Smith

Declined

  • Barry Moehring, incumbent Judge

Results

General election

Results

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.

Republican primary

Advanced to runoff

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

Eliminated in primary

  • Mark Scalise, attorney and businessman

Results

First round
Runoff

Democratic primary

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

Nominee

  • Dana Deree

General election

Results

Faulkner County

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

General election

Results

Saline County

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

General election

Results

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

General election

Results

Other counties (A–W)

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

See also

References