Arkansas Code
Subchapter 4 - Certification of Nominations
§ 7-7-401. Certification of nominations

(a) The county board of election commissioners shall certify the nomination of all county, township, and municipal offices to the county committee of the political party, state committee of the political party, and county clerk. It shall further certify the vote of all candidates for United States, state, and district office to the state committee and the Secretary of State.
(b) The Secretary of State shall receive the returns from the county board of election commissioners and canvass and certify the result thereof as provided by law. When ordered by a circuit court as provided by law, the county board or its officers shall annul the certifications made and make certifications in accordance with the judgment of the circuit court.
(c) The nominations of any and all political parties for candidates chosen at a regular or special primary election held by the political party shall be certified by the county board of election commissioners.
(d)
(1) Nominees of political parties chosen by a convention of delegates, in those circumstances in which nominations by political party conventions are authorized by law, shall be certified by the chair and secretary of the convention of delegates held by the political party.
(2) All certificates of nomination made by the chair and secretary of conventions or of county boards of election commissioners of primary elections shall be acknowledged before an officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments.

(e)
(1) Nomination as a nonpartisan candidate for Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, circuit judge, or district judge shall be deemed certified upon the candidate's filing for office when a filing fee is paid or upon determination by the appropriate officer that sufficient signatures were obtained when the candidate seeks alternative ballot access.
(2) For any other office, nomination as an independent candidate without political party affiliation for election to any office shall be certified by petition of electors in the manner provided in § 7-7-103.