Arkansas Republicans voted to close the state’s primary elections, among other major changes enacted on Saturday, June 8, when over 650 locally elected delegates turned out for the 2024 Biennial State Convention held in Rogers, Arkansas.
To begin, 58% voted against tradition to elect 2nd District Chair Jennifer Lancaster as the 2024 State Convention Chair instead of RPA Chair Joseph Wood. The Biennial State Convention, the “final authority in all party matters,” completed its statutory biennial tasks and also overwhelmingly approved several properly submitted platform and Rules changes, most of which the State Rules and Platforms/Resolutions Committees had summarily rejected from consideration.
The legally required Biennial State Convention was marred by confusion, lack of proper credentials, and repeated tactics by some delegates to delay and run out the clock. After roughly 10 hours the Convention was eventually recessed and has yet to be formally adjourned. Several delegates from a handful of counties were ultimately deemed ineligible to vote, as they had not been directly elected by their respective County Committees per the RPA Rules.
However, the Convention ultimately did certify the positions of National Committeeman (4th District Chair Eddie Arnold) and National Committeewoman (State Rep. Mindy McAlindon of Benton County), as well as Republican primary nominees and RNC delegates — all mandated tasks as legal responsibilities of the Republican Biennial State Convention.
RESOLUTIONS passed include- RPA-appointed members of the Rules and Platform/Resolutions Committees cannot be a lobbyist, current state lawmaker, staffer of a constitutional officer, or political consultant;
- ensuring future State Conventions are held within 35 air miles of the State Capitol (central Arkansas area);
- setting up a new Committee (District Committee chairs + volunteer attorneys) to work with the Board of Election Commissioners on implementing closed primaries; and
- billing the RPA for expenses incurred due to delay tactics that extended the June 8 Convention to 10+ hours.
The RPA has not yet publicly commented on a timeframe for when the Arkansas Republican party platform and Rules documents will be amended to reflect these changes approved at the 2024 State Convention:
RULES CHANGES:
- Closed primaries
- Republican candidates must be a registered Republican voter
- Certain elected officials — who are automatic State Committee members per the RPA Rules — are non-voting State Committee members (but may run for a voting delegate position in their County Committee, just like any other County Committee member). This Rules change conforms with majority of other State Committees as well as RPA Rule 168.
- Adds two Representatives to the State Committee that are elected by each County Committee (ensures adequate representation of County Committees on the State Committee)
- Altering District Committees: 1. all GOP elected officials (+ Constables) are now automatic ex-officio voting members of the District Committee. 2. County Committees will add elected members to the District Committee (the number elected is equal to the number of ex-officio District Committee members from that County)
- Members of Rules & Platform/Resolutions Committees elected by District Committee; RPA Chair names the Committee Chairs
- Prohibits endorsements by constitutional officers / federal elected officials in State Executive Committee races. (County Committee are already prohibited from endorsements in Republican primaries because the candidate field is made up of all Republicans, giving all Republicans an equal shot at being the final elected choice.)
PLATFORM CHANGES:
- Partisan judicial races
- Anti-ESG / social credit scores
- Support Jackson v. Dobbs (changed from “Roe v. Wade” reference)
- Anti-globalism (anti-WHO, anti-WEF, etc.)
- Support medical freedom (anti-medical mandates, etc.) and economic freedom
- Support for 1967 original Freedom of Information law
- Support election integrity (hand-counted paper ballots)