Libertarian Party of Arkansas Announces 2026 Candidate Nomination Slate

The Libertarian Party of Arkansas has nominated its slate of candidates for the 2026 general election, including three federal races, multiple statewide offices, and a range of legislative and local contests. The nominations were made during the party’s annual state convention in Little Rock.

The party released a full list of nominees following the convention, which ran from February 20–22. Delegates also conducted routine party business over the weekend, including hearing reports from party leadership and selecting the party’s statewide delegation to the 2026 Libertarian National Convention, scheduled for later this year in Grand Rapids. Under previously released allocations, the Arkansas affiliate is entitled to eight delegates this year.

Ahead of the convention, the party hosted a forum for those candidates seeking its gubernatorial nomination, identifying four individuals and inviting them to address party members. Delegates ultimately nominated Colt Shelby for governor, while Michael Kalagias, who also sought the top of the ticket and participated in the forum, was selected as the party’s nominee for lieutenant governor.

Due to a successful petition drive in 2025 requalifying the party for recognized status, the state party’s nominees for partisan offices will proceed directly to the November general election ballot on the Libertarian line. The only exception is the Pine Bluff City Council race, which is nonpartisan and still requires a municipal filing fee. To retain ballot access beyond the 2026 cycle, the party’s gubernatorial nominee, Shelby, must receive at least three percent of the vote in the general election.

A full candidate list, including the districts in which each is running, appears below.