Governor of Arkansas

Statewide — all of Arkansas

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Sources re-checked October 19, 2026 · How we research

Incumbent Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is seeking a second term; she advanced unopposed in the March 3 Republican primary.[1][15][16]
State Sen. Fredrick Love won the March 3 Democratic primary with 81.0% (104,725 votes) over businesswoman Supha Xayprasith-Mays (19.0%).[1]
The Libertarian Party of Arkansas nominated Colt Shelby at its February 2026 convention.[7]

On the ballot · 3 candidates

Sarah Huckabee SandersRepublicanINCUMBENTGovernor of Arkansas (since January 2023)Full profile →Fredrick LoveDemocraticArkansas State Senator, 15th District (since 2023)Full profile →Colt ShelbyLibertarianFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Expand public health coverage

Sarah Huckabee Sanders
—
Fredrick Love
Supports[4]
Says the state must invest more in Medicaid and hospitals and criticizes the governor for not extending Medicaid to 12 months postpartum.
Colt Shelby
—

Public funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)

Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Supports[2][6][4]
Signed the 2023 LEARNS Act, which created the Educational Freedom Account voucher program letting state funds go to expenses such as private school tuition; defended it in the October 2026 debate as improving outcomes for students.
Fredrick Love
Opposes[5][6]
Says he would eliminate the voucher program entirely and would issue an executive order halting its administration.
Colt Shelby
Opposes[17][5][4]
His campaign platform says he opposes school voucher programs that redirect public education dollars; in a June debate he said the voucher program should be scaled back slowly rather than ended outright.

Raise the minimum wage

Sarah Huckabee Sanders
—
Fredrick Love
Supports[6]
Supports raising Arkansas's $11-per-hour minimum wage.
Colt Shelby
—

ISSUE	Sarah Huckabee Sanders Republican	Fredrick Love Democratic	Colt Shelby Libertarian
Expand public health coverage	—	Supports[4] Says the state must invest more in Medicaid and hospitals and criticizes the governor for not extending Medicaid to 12 months postpartum.	—
Public funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)	Supports[2][6][4] Signed the 2023 LEARNS Act, which created the Educational Freedom Account voucher program letting state funds go to expenses such as private school tuition; defended it in the October 2026 debate as improving outcomes for students.	Opposes[5][6] Says he would eliminate the voucher program entirely and would issue an executive order halting its administration.	Opposes[17][5][4] His campaign platform says he opposes school voucher programs that redirect public education dollars; in a June debate he said the voucher program should be scaled back slowly rather than ended outright.
Raise the minimum wage	—	Supports[6] Supports raising Arkansas's $11-per-hour minimum wage.	—

Research notes & limits

Arkansas elects its lieutenant governor in a separate race, so no running mates are noted. The Arkansas Secretary of State's site is behind bot protection (not bypassed), so the certified list was not loaded; the three-candidate slate (Sanders R, Love D, Shelby L) was confirmed against a Hot Spring County November 3, 2026 general-election ballot, and matches the Arkansas Advocate's voter guide and Wikipedia. Love's Senate votes were read from the Arkansas legislature's official roll-call pages (his name appears as F. Love). The LEARNS Act signing date (March 8, 2023) is from Talk Business & Politics; the legislature's page shows the bill delivered to the governor March 7, 2023.

Sources · 30

Researched 2026-10-19. Green citations are official government records.

1.2026 Arkansas gubernatorial election · Wikipedia · 2026-10-19 Reference
2.Sarah Huckabee Sanders · Wikipedia · 2026-10-19 Reference
3.Fredrick Love · Wikipedia · 2026-10-19 Reference
4.Challengers call Arkansas governor's policy priorities misplaced in debate · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-10-13 News report
5.Love vows order halting school vouchers if elected Arkansas governor · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-06-26 News report
6.Arkansas Democrats seeking nomination for governor focus on voucher program, economic development · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-02-16 News report
7.Libertarian Party of Arkansas nominates 2026 general election candidates · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-02-23 News report
8.SB294 (Act 237 of 2023), the LEARNS Act · Arkansas State Legislature · 2023-03-07 Official record
9.Sanders Signs SB549 and HB1045 · Office of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders · 2023-04-10 Official record
10.Bills Signed: HB1001, SB1 · Office of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders · 2026-05-06 Official record
11.Senate vote, SB625 (Educational Freedom Account program amendments), April 10, 2025 · Arkansas State Legislature · 2025-04-10 Official record
12.Senate vote, SB376 (Freedom of Information Act amendments), March 20, 2025 · Arkansas State Legislature · 2025-03-20 Official record
13.Senate vote, HB1974 (E-Verify Requirement Act), April 16, 2025 · Arkansas State Legislature · 2025-04-16 Official record
14.Governor signs LEARNS Act; rulemaking process begins · Talk Business & Politics · 2023-03-08 News report
15.Voter Guide: 2026 General Election · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-10-19 News report
16.2026 General Election, Hot Spring County, Arkansas - November 3, 2026 (sample ballot) · Hot Spring County, Arkansas · 2026-08-01 Official record
17.Full Platform · Colt Shelby for Governor campaign Candidate's own words
18.Sarah Huckabee Sanders · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
19.Challengers call Arkansas governor's policy priorities misplaced in debate · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-10-13 News report
20.SB294 (Act 237 of 2023), the LEARNS Act · Arkansas State Legislature · 2023-03-07 Official record
21.Sarah Huckabee Sanders · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
22.2026 Arkansas gubernatorial election · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
23.Fredrick Love · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
24.Arkansas Democrats seeking nomination for governor focus on voucher program, economic development · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-02-16 News report
25.Fredrick J. Love - Arkansas Senate · Arkansas Senate · 2026-10-21 Official record
26.2026 Arkansas gubernatorial election · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
27.Challengers call Arkansas governor's policy priorities misplaced in debate · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-10-13 News report
28.Libertarian Party of Arkansas nominates 2026 general election candidates · Arkansas Advocate · 2026-02-23 News report
29.Colt Shelby · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
30.Colt Shelby for Governor · Shelby campaign · 2026-10-21 Candidate's own words