Arkansas Code Title 7. Elections § 7-7-205. Petition requirements for new political parties

(a)(1) A group desiring to form a new political party shall do so by filing a petition with the Secretary of State.

(2) The petition shall contain at the time of filing the signatures of a minimum of ten thousand (10,000) registered voters in the state.

(3) The Secretary of State shall not accept for filing any new party petition that is not prima facie sufficient at the time of filing.

(6) A new political party that wishes to select nominees for the next general election shall file a sufficient petition no later than three (3) weeks before the preferential primary election.

(b)(1) The Secretary of State shall determine the sufficiency of the signatures submitted within thirty (30) days of filing.

(2) If the petition is determined to be insufficient, the Secretary of State shall forthwith notify the sponsors in writing, through their designated agent, and shall set forth his or her reasons for so finding.

(c)(1) Upon certification of sufficiency of the petition by the Secretary of State, a new political party shall be declared by the Secretary of State.

(3) A candidate to be nominated by convention shall file a political practices pledge with the Secretary of State or county clerk, as the case may be, no later than 12:00 noon on the date of the preferential primary election.

(4) If the new party maintains party status by obtaining three percent (3%) of the total votes cast for the office of Governor or nominees for presidential electors at the first general election after certification, the new political party shall nominate candidates in the party primary as set forth in § 7-7-101 et seq.

(5) Any challenges to the certification of the sufficiency of the petition by the Secretary of State shall be filed with the Pulaski County Circuit Court.