Can you vote with a felony in Arkansas?

Q: Do you have to pay fines and fees before you can vote in Arkansas?

Must be paid first. Proof of payment of all applicable court costs, fines or restitution, and of any probation or parole fees, must be given to the county clerk before registering (Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk, citing Ark. Const. amend. 51, § 11(d)(2)(A)-(D)). The clerk's flyer offers proof that the record has been sealed as an alternative to proof of completion.

The short answer

It depends.

In Arkansas, the right to vote comes back after a felony sentence, but only once the person meets conditions the state sets.

In Arkansas, a person with a felony conviction cannot register or vote until the sentence has been discharged or the person has been pardoned. To register again, the person must give the county clerk proof from the appropriate agencies that they have met the conditions the law lists (discharge from probation or parole, payment of probation or parole fees, satisfaction of all terms of imprisonment, and payment of all applicable court costs, fines or restitution), or proof that the record has been sealed, along with a new voter registration application.^1,2,3,4

Checked October 22, 2026 against 7 sources, starting with Arkansas law, then by a second reader.

In prison for a felonyCan't vote¹
On paroleCan't vote^1,3
On probationCan't vote^1,3
Sentence completeDepends^1,3,5

Check with Arkansas's election office

Before you register

Your state or county election office can confirm your own status, for free. Voting while ineligible can carry criminal penalties, so if anything about your case is unclear, ask them first. The general election is November 3, 2026; registration deadlines are on vote.gov.

How the right comes back

Automatically, with conditions

The Secretary of State says that to register a person must 'not be a convicted felon whose sentence has not been discharged or pardoned,' and the state voter registration application asks whether the applicant has been convicted of a felony without the sentence having been discharged or pardoned, and tells anyone who answers yes not to complete the form. The Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk, whose office runs voter registration in Arkansas's largest county, lists the steps under Ark. Const. amend. 51, § 11(d)(2)(A)-(D): (1) obtain proof from the appropriate state or local agencies that all of the requirements have been completed (the flyer lists discharge from probation or parole, payment of all probation or parole fees, satisfaction of all terms of imprisonment, and payment of all applicable court costs, fines or restitution), or proof that the record has been sealed; (2) submit the proof to the voter registration office of the county clerk where the person now lives; and (3) complete an Arkansas voter registration application and return it to that office. A pardon also ends the disqualification.^1,3,5,6

Fines, fees and restitution

Must be paid first

Proof of payment of all applicable court costs, fines or restitution, and of any probation or parole fees, must be given to the county clerk before registering (Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk, citing Ark. Const. amend. 51, § 11(d)(2)(A)-(D)). The clerk's flyer offers proof that the record has been sealed as an alternative to proof of completion.^3,6

Registering again

Yes

Once the right is back, Arkansas requires a new voter registration before voting.³

Misdemeanors and jail

The Secretary of State's registration requirements and the state voter registration application mention only felony convictions.^1,2,5

The registration requirements apply to people convicted of a felony; the official pages opened do not separately address people held in jail before trial.¹

Convictions from another state or federal court

Not stated on the official pages opened.

The law

Ark. Const. amend. 51, § 11(d)(2)(A)-(D) (as cited by the Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk)
Ark. Code Ann. § 7-5-201 (as cited by the Secretary of State's voter registration FAQ)

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This page explains Arkansas's general rules from its law and election office. It isn't legal advice, and a case can turn on the details of a sentence. The election office can confirm your status.

Spot something out of date? Tell us at contact@secondchanceindex.com.

Cite this page

Second Chance Index, "Can you vote with a felony in Arkansas?" https://secondchanceindex.com/voting-rights/arkansas, checked October 22, 2026.

Sources

Each source was opened and checked on October 22, 2026.

Voter Registration InformationArkansas Secretary of State
Voter Registration FAQsArkansas Secretary of State
Restoration of Voting Rights for Returning Citizens (flyer)Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk
2026 County Board of Election Commissioners Procedures ManualArkansas State Board of Election Commissioners
Arkansas Voter Registration Application (8-2023)Arkansas Secretary of State
Restoration of Voting Rights (flyer, earlier version)Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk
Initiatives and Referenda (2026 ballot issues)Arkansas Secretary of State