§ Ark. Code § 7-5-806Contest of state constitutional executive offices

(a) All contested general elections of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State,
Treasurer of State, Auditor of State, and Attorney General, except as provided in this section,
shall be decided by the joint vote of both houses of the General Assembly, and in that joint
meeting the President of the Senate shall preside.
(b) If, following any general election, any person contests any election covered by this section,
he or she shall present his or her petition to the General Assembly, setting forth the points on
which he or she will contest the election and the facts which he or she will prove in support of the
points, and he or she shall pray for leave to introduce his or her proofs.
(c) A vote shall be taken by yeas and nays in each house as to whether the prayers shall be
granted.
(d) If a majority of the whole number of votes of both houses shall be in the affirmative, they
shall appoint a joint committee to take testimony on the part of the petitioner and also on the part
of the person whose place is contested. The committee shall have power to send for witnesses and
to issue warrants under the hand of the chair to any judge or justice of the peace to take the
deposition of witnesses at such time and place as the warrant shall direct. The points to which
the testimony is to be taken shall be set forth in the warrants.
(e) Reasonable notice shall be given by the party in whose favor depositions shall be allowed
to be taken to the opposite party of the time and place of taking the depositions. The judge or
justice shall proceed in all things, in the attendance of witnesses and in taking and certifying the
testimony, as is directed in the preceding section.
(f) The party shall also be allowed to attend the examination of witnesses before the committee
and to cross-examine them, but no testimony shall be taken except in relation to the points set
forth in the petition.
(g) The committee shall report the facts to the two (2) houses, and the day shall be fixed by a
joint resolution for the meeting of the two (2) houses to decide the contest, on which decision the
yeas and nays shall be taken and entered on the journal of each house.