Gov. Sanders signs certification of vacancy for Stubblefield’s seat

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has sent a letter to the chairs of the state’s Democratic and Republican parties regarding the late Sen. Gary Stubblefield’s now-vacant seat.

Stubblefield died on Sept. 2 in Little Rock. He represented Arkansas Senate District 26, which includes portions of Franklin, Johnson, Sebastian and Logan counties.

Stubblefield had served that district since 2013.

With Stubblefield’s term set to expire in 2029, Sanders sent a letter to Republican Party of Arkansas Chairman Joseph Wood and Democratic Party of Arkansas Chairman Col. Marcus Jones to certify a seat of vacancy following the senator’s death.

The letter said the following:

To Whom it May Concern:

Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 7-7-105, I am hereby certifying a vacancy in office for Arkansas Senate, 26th District, due to the death of Senator Gary Stubblefield on September 2, 2025.

Please make a determination as to whether your respective political parties desire to hold a special primary election or convention of delegates, and notify me within ten (10) days and copy my Chief Legal Counsel [email address].

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely, 
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Governor of Arkansas

“Governor Sanders will fulfill her constitutional obligation to declare a vacancy, call a special election, and ensure the citizens of the River Valley continue to have strong representation in the State Senate,” a spokesperson for the governor’s office said in a statement to KNWA/FOX24 following Stubblefield’s death.

The Arkansas Constitution states that no senator or representative can be appointed during the term someone should have been elected. Current members of the state House of Representatives are barred from seeking election in the special election.