The first question a school board candidate should ask is, “Why am I really running for school board?” It may be hard to imagine, but some people run for the school board to “get rid of someone” or because they have a personal agenda they wish to fulfill. These are not good intentions when running for the school board.

Serving on an Arkansas school board is serious business. In fact, state accountability laws and rules can result in removal from office of entire school boards. School boards in Arkansas are expected to fulfill the roles and responsibilities outlined in 6-13-620.

School Board Candidate Qualifications:

• Must be a qualified registered voter of the school district and the electoral zone, if applicable A.C.A. §§6-13-616(a), 6-14-111(h), (i)(1), Article 3, §1

• Must be a U.S. citizen Article 3, §1

• Must be an Arkansas resident Article 3, §1

• Must be a resident of the school district and, if elected from zones, the respective electoral zone A.C.A. §§6-13-631(d)(1), 6-14-111(i)(1)

• Must not be an employee of the school district served A.C.A. §6-13-616(b)

• Must be lawfully registered to vote Article 3, §1

• Must never have been convicted, plead guilty, or plead nolo contendere of embezzlement of public money, bribery, forgery, or other infamous crime A.C.A. § 21-8-305, Articles 3, §6 & 5, §9

To run for school board, visit your county clerk’s office to request a packet of material about running for office.

• School board candidates circulate petitions to gather signatures of at least twenty (20) qualified residents of the district (and electoral zone if school board members are elected from zones). Petition timelines are listed below.

• The Secretary of State’s website provides candidate information and filing dates. -

  • School Board Candidate By Zone Sample Petition

  • School Board Candidate At Large Sample Petition

  • In accordance with Act 305 of 2023, write-in candidacy is no longer an option for individuals who are interested in running for school board.

• Candidates are required to make specific, timely financial filings. Information about those requirements can be found on the Arkansas Ethics Commission website.

• ASBA's School Board Candidate Guides provide additional information:

For Districts Whose Local Policy Calls For Spring Elections -

For elections held during odd years:

• Candidates may begin circulating petitions ninety (90) days prior to March 1.

• Candidate filing period begins February 22 and closes March 1.

• Election Day is the second Tuesday in May.

For elections held during even years concurrent with the presidential election:

• Candidates may begin circulating petitions ninety (90) days prior to the second Monday in November.

• Candidate filing period opens the first Monday in November and closes the second Monday in November.

• Election Day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March.

For elections held during even years concurrent with the Arkansas governor election:

• Candidates may begin circulating petitions ninety (90) days prior to March 1.

• Candidate filing period begins February 22 and closes March 1.

• Election Day is Tuesday, four weeks prior to the third Tuesday in June.

For Districts Whose Local Policy Calls For Fall Elections -

For elections held during odd and even years:

• Candidates may begin circulating petitions one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the date of the election.

• Candidate filing period begins ninety-seven (97) days before the election and closes ninety (90) days before the election.

Election Day is

• Second Tuesday in November for elections held in odd years; OR

• First Tuesday after the first Monday in November for elections held in even years

Runoffs, if needed, are held four (4) weeks after the election.