On February 14, Arkansas Representative Justin Boyd (R-Fort Smith) introduced HB 1532, which moves the deadline for a ballot-qualified convention party to choose its non-presidential nominees. Current law says such a party must choose all its nominees by date on which primary candidates file for their primaries. The bill eases the convention deadline to primary day. In 2018 and following years, the Arkansas primary is scheduled to be held in late May.

There are no ballot-qualified parties in Arkansas except for the Republican and Democratic Parties. The Arkansas Libertarian Party expects to qualify for 2018 by submitting the needed 10,000 signatures. Assuming the bill passes, the Libertarian Party, and any other party that petitions in time for the 2018 election, will have the freedom to choose its nominees during the spring of 2018.

The bill passed the State Agencies and Government Affairs Committee on February 15. Thanks to Michael Pakko and Jim Linger for this news.