The Republican Party of Arkansas Executive Committee quietly approved a steep increase in candidate filing fees on Friday for the 2026 election cycle. That includes a jaw-dropping 167% spike for gubernatorial candidates, effectively making it harder for outsiders or grassroots challengers to get on the ballot.
Here are the new numbers:
- Governor: $15,000 → $40,000
- U.S. Senate: $20,000 → $40,000
- Lieutenant Governor: $12,500 → $25,000
- Attorney General: $12,500 → $25,000
- U.S. House: remains at $30,000 (increased in 2023 from $15,000 to $30,000)
- Secretary of State: no change ($10,000)
- Treasurer, Auditor, Land Commissioner, Senate: stays at $7,500
- State Representative: remains at $3,000.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Arkansas set their filing fees dramatically lower:
- Governor: $5,000
- U.S. Senate: $5,200
- U.S. House: $1,750
- State Representative: $700
In 2023, the RPA Executive Committee doubled the congressional filing fee from $15,000 to $30,000—claiming it would boost support for GOP nominees. But, fewer candidates filed, and after refunds, the party ended up with less money per nominee than before. Compared to Democrats’ $2,500 fee and surrounding states’ rates, Arkansas Republicans now face one of the steepest financial barriers in the region.
Doubling the filing fee was never going to have much of an impact on how much the RPA can give to winners. That leads to the next question: Are these fee increases a factor in having fewer Republican candidates filing for office? Hmm.
It didn’t look good then. It doesn’t look good now.
And just as a reminder: this decision wasn’t made by the full party. It came from the smallest—and arguably most establishment-driven—group in the RPA: the Executive Committee.
ICYMI: https://conduitnews.com/2023/12/11/filing-fee-increase-essential-or-embarrassment/
https://conduitnews.com/2023/07/12/how-much-is-enough-how-much-is-too-much/
