Arkansas

Arkansas entered the Union on June 15, 1836 as the 25th state. Arkansas grew from frontier river settlements into a state tied to the Mississippi Valley, with a history shaped by agriculture, transportation routes, and the political tensions of the nineteenth century and after. Today its state government is centered in Little Rock and runs through a governor and a bicameral General Assembly made up of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Date entered UnionJune 15, 1836

Government & Representation

Arkansas is governed by an elected governor and the bicameral Arkansas General Assembly, which includes a Senate and a House of Representatives. State government is centered in Little Rock, where the legislative and executive branches shape statewide policy, budgeting, and election law.

Executive branchExecutive branch

Official office

The Arkansas executive branch consists of the governor, lieutenant governor, and the state agencies. In Arkansas, the governor can be elected for two consecutive four-year terms. Arkansas's governor is limited to two terms for life.

Legislative branchLegislative branch

Legislature
Arkansas General Assembly
Chambers
Senate and House of Representatives
Structure
Bicameral
Official site

Arkansas has a bicameral legislature, named the Arkansas General Assembly, which consists of the Arkansas House of Representatives and the Arkansas Senate. The House has 100 members representing 100 districts, with members serving a two-year term. The Senate has 35 members representing 35 districts, each serving a four-year term. Members of the General Assembly can serve for a combination of 16 years in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Judicial branchJudicial branch

In Arkansas, the judiciary has four general levels. The State District Courts and the Local District Courts are the lowest level courts, which focus on cases involving specific subject matter, such as traffic violations, small claims, and misdemeanor offenses. The Arkansas Circuit Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction. The Arkansas Court of Appeals acts as the intermediate appellate court. The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court in the state.

Officials Representing Arkansas at the Federal Level

This section brings together the state’s U.S. senators and House delegation in one place for a cleaner statewide overview.

U.S. Senators

Senator John Boozman

Arkansas

Republican Party

John has served in Congress since 2011.

Senator Tom Cotton

Arkansas

Republican Party

Tom has served in Congress since 2015.

U.S. House delegation

Representative Bruce Westerman

Arkansas District 4

Republican Party

Bruce has served in Congress since 2015.

Representative Eric A. "Rick" Crawford

Arkansas District 1

Republican Party

Eric has served in Congress since 2011.

Representative J. French Hill

Arkansas District 2

Republican Party

J. has served in Congress since 2015.

Representative Steve Womack

Arkansas District 3

Republican Party

Steve has served in Congress since 2011.