Arkansas Senate

The Arkansas State Senate is the upper branch of the Arkansas General Assembly. The Senate consists of 35 members, each representing a district with about 76,000 people. Service in the state legislature is part-time, and many state senators have full-time jobs during the rest of the year. The 35-member Senate consists of eight Republicans and 27 Democrats. There are six women, twenty-nine men, thirty European-Americans, and four African-Americans.

Election

The senators are each elected for four-year terms, the Senate being renewed by half every two years. So a Senate lasts two years with the same composition.

Legal basis :
Arkansas Constitution - Article 5. Legislative Department. § 3. Senate.

The Senate shall consist of members to be chosen every four years, by the qualified electors of the several districts. At the first session of the Senate, the Senators shall divide themselves into two classes, by lot, and the first class shall hold their places for two years only, after which all shall be elected for four years.

They are also limited to serving no more than two four-year terms.

Legal basis :
Arkansas Constitution - Amendment 73. Arkansas Term Limitation Amendment. § 2(b). Legislative Branch.

The Arkansas Senate shall consist of members to be chosen every four years by the qualified electors of the several districts. No member of the Arkansas Senate may serve more than two such four year terms.

Current composition 2009-2010

87th General Assembly

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	Template:American politics/party colors/Democratic|	Template:American politics/party colors/Republican|
	Democratic	Republican		Vacant
End of previous legislature	27	8	35	0
Begin	27	8	35	0
August 21, 2009		7	34	1
December 8, 2009		8	35	0
Latest voting share	77.1%	22.9%

Officers

Office	Officer	Party	District
President/Lieutenant Governor	Bill Halter	Democratic
President pro tempore	Bob Johnson	Democratic	18
Assistant Presidents pro tempore	Paul Bookout	Democratic	14
	Tracy Steele	Democratic	34
	Ed Wilkinson	Democratic	6
	Hank Wilkins IV	Democratic	5

Floor Leaders

Office	Officer	Party	District
Majority Leader	Joyce Elliott	Democratic	33
Majority Whip	Steve Faris	Democratic	27
Minority Leader	Kim Hendren	Republican	9
Minority Whip	Bill Pritchard	Republican	35

Members of the 87th Senate

District	Name	Party	Residence	Seat Up
1	Johnny Key	Rep	Mountain Home	2012
2	Randy Laverty	Dem	Jasper	2010
3	Ruth Whitaker	Rep	Cedarville	2012
4	Michael Lamoureux	Rep	Russellville	2012
5	Henry Wilkins IV	Dem	Pine Bluff	2012
6	Ed Wilkinson	Dem	Greenwood	2012
7	Sue Madison	Dem	Fayetteville	2010
8	Cecile Bledsoe	Rep	Rogers	2012
9	Kim Hendren	Rep	Gravette	2010
10	Paul Miller	Dem	Melbourne	2012
11	Robert Thompson	Dem	Paragould	2010
12	David Wyatt	Dem	Batesville	2012
13	Denny Altes	Rep	Fort Smith	2010
14	Paul Bookout	Dem	Jonesboro	2010
15	Steve Bryles	Dem	Blytheville	2012
16	Jack Crumbly	Dem	Widener	2012
17	Jim Luker	Dem	Wynne	2010
18	Bob Johnson	Dem	Little Rock	2012
19	Terry Smith	Dem	Hot Springs	2012
20	Larry Teague	Dem	Nashville	2012
21	Barbara Horn	Dem	Ashdown	2012
22	Shane Broadway	Dem	Bryant	2010
23	Jerry Taylor	Dem	Pine Bluff	2012
24	Jimmy Jeffress	Dem	Crossett	2012
25	Gene Jeffress	Dem	Louann	2010
26	Percy Malone	Dem	Arkadelphia	2012
27	Steve Faris	Dem	Malvern	2012
28	Bobby Glover	Dem	Carlisle	2010
29	John Paul Capps	Dem	Searcy	2010
30	Gilbert Baker	Rep	Conway	2012
31	Mary Anne Salmon	Dem	North Little Rock	2010
32	David Johnson	Dem	Little Rock	2012
33	Joyce Elliott	Dem	Little Rock	2012
34	Tracy Steele	Dem	North Little Rock	2010
35	Bill Pritchard	Rep	Elkins	2010

External links

• Arkansas Senate official government website
• Project Vote Smart - State Senate of Arkansas