Ballot Positions Set For 2026 Primaries

  • Andrea McDaniel (left), a senior at Rison High School, reads the name of a candidate after selecting it from a bucket held by Cleveland County Election Coordinator Billy Bowlin (center) as Rosemary Sinclair (right), a candidate for Cleveland County Judge, looks on. The ballot draw for the March 2, 2026 primary election was held last Thursday, Nov. 4, in the hallway outside the county clerk’s office at the courthouse in Rison.
    Andrea McDaniel (left), a senior at Rison High School, reads the name of a candidate after selecting it from a bucket held by Cleveland County Election Coordinator Billy Bowlin (center) as Rosemary Sinclair (right), a candidate for Cleveland County Judge, looks on. The ballot draw for the March 2, 2026 primary election was held last Thursday, Nov. 4, in the hallway outside the county clerk’s office at the courthouse in Rison.
  • Cleveland County Election Commission chairman John Appleget (left) and Bowlin (right) presents a certificate of appreciation to McDaniel (center) for helping with the ballot draw. McDaniel, who is a state officer with the Beta Club, plans to attend Arkansas State University to pursue a degree in counseling. She has been helping with local elections since the 7th grade.
    Cleveland County Election Commission chairman John Appleget (left) and Bowlin (right) presents a certificate of appreciation to McDaniel (center) for helping with the ballot draw. McDaniel, who is a state officer with the Beta Club, plans to attend Arkansas State University to pursue a degree in counseling. She has been helping with local elections since the 7th grade.

    RISON - The Cleveland County Election Commission conducted its ballot draw for the March 3, 2026, primary election last Thurday, Dec. 4, outside the county clerk’s office at the Cleveland County Courthouse at Rison.

    The ballot draw determines the order each candidate will appear on the ballot for any contested race, whether it be for a local, state or federal position.

    As has become a tradition with the Cleveland County Election Commission, a high school student from Rison or Woodlawn is selected to draw the names. This time it was Andrea McDaniel, a senior at Rison High School who has been helping with elections since she was in the 7th grade.

    Here is how the names will appear on the ballot for each primary:

    Republican Primary

    Kingsland Mayor - Karen Wiscaver, Samantha Johnson
    Cleveland County Judge - Rickey Spencer, Rosemary Sinclair, Stephen McClellan, Jim Houston
    Cleveland County Sheriff - Keden Shrum, Brad Young, Vance Lee Freeman
    Constable Niven Township - Anthony D. Smith, Joseph Dwayne Drye
    U.S. Senate - Jeb Little, Senator Tom Cotton, Micah Ashby
    Arkansas Secretary of Race - Bryan Norris, Senator Kim Hammer, Judge Cathy Hardin Harrison
    Commissioner of State Lands - Christian Olson, Secretary of State Cole Jester

    Democratic Primary

    U.S. Senate - Mayor Ethan N. Dunbar, Hallie Shoffner
    U.S. Congress, District 4 - Steven Layne O’Donnell, James “Rus” Russell III
    Governor - State Senator Fred Love, Supha Xayprasith-Mays

    Non-Partisan

    State Supreme Court Associate Justice Position 3 - John Adams, Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Nick Bronni