Lonoke County sheriff race narrows after reported Mitchell withdrawal

The Lonoke County sheriff race narrowed after Democratic candidate Brian Mitchell Sr. announced that he was withdrawing from the November election, according to a July 23 report by TriArk Radio.

Mitchell cited health issues and the need to care for a new baby as reasons for stepping away from the race. TriArk Radio reported that Republican Aaron Spencer and independent candidate Larry Behnke were the remaining candidates.

The sheriff is a Lonoke County office, so the race affects voters countywide, including residents of Lonoke. It is not a city-only contest.

What has changed

Mitchell’s announcement changes the candidate field reported by local media, but it should not yet be treated as confirmation that his name will be absent from the ballot. The official candidate records reviewed for this article do not independently establish the final ballot status.

Candidate withdrawal, certification of the official candidate list and ballot preparation are separate election-administration steps. The Arkansas Secretary of State’s 2026 Candidate Search and the Lonoke County Clerk’s candidate-filing materials are the key records for checking whether Mitchell’s withdrawal has been processed and whether Spencer and Behnke remain listed for the sheriff contest.

Election dates to watch

The Arkansas Secretary of State’s 2026 election calendar lists November 3, 2026, as the general-election date.

TriArk Radio reported that Mitchell withdrew before an August 5, 2026, noon deadline associated with candidate withdrawals. The state calendar, however, identifies August 5 primarily as the filing deadline for independent candidates running for municipal offices in mayor-council cities.

The same calendar lists August 20, 2026, as the deadline for the county clerk to certify to the county board of election commissioners a full list of candidates to be voted for in the county. That distinction is why voters should rely on updated county and state election records rather than infer final ballot status from the announcement alone.

How Lonoke County voters can verify the race

Voters can check the Arkansas Secretary of State’s 2026 Candidate Search for the current statewide candidate record. The Lonoke County Clerk’s candidate-filing page provides local filing information, forms and election-procedure resources.

Until those records are updated or otherwise confirm the final listing, Spencer and Behnke should be described as the reported remaining candidates, not as final ballot nominees.

The next important update will be the official candidate-list certification and any subsequent ballot information released by Lonoke County election officials.

Sources

• TriArk Radio report on Brian Mitchell Sr.'s withdrawal
• Arkansas Secretary of State 2026 Candidate Search
• Lonoke County Clerk candidate-filing information
• Arkansas Secretary of State 2026 Election Calendar