SB297

Senate Bill 297 amends Arkansas law regarding how municipalities elect city council members. It mandates that any municipal ordinance defining how council members are elected—specifically regarding whether they are elected by ward or at large—must be filed with the county clerk by August 31 of the year preceding an election. The bill establishes a deadline of January 1, 2026, for existing first-class cities to file their current ordinances. It stipulates that once an ordinance is filed, it remains in effect until a new ordinance is passed and filed by the required deadline. Furthermore, the bill creates a default provision: if a city fails to file the required ordinance with the county clerk, its council members must be elected at large. Additionally, it updates requirements for cities of the second class to ensure that voters have access to at least one voting precinct within their respective wards.