1940 Arkansas gubernatorial election

The 1940 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1940.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Carl E. Bailey was defeated in the Democratic primary.

Democratic nominee Homer Adkins defeated Republican nominee Harley C. Stump with 91.36% of the vote.

Democratic primary
The Democratic primary election was held on August 13, 1940.

Candidates
The anti-Bailey "federal faction" coalesced around Homer Adkins in early 1940. Loathing the idea of turning the statehouse over to Adkins, Bailey decided to break Arkansas tradition and seek a third term.

Declared

 * Homer Adkins, U.S. Internal Revenue collector for Arkansas
 * Carl E. Bailey, incumbent Governor
 * J. Rosser Venable, attorney
 * Frank Witte, merchant

Declined

 * Bob Bailey, Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
 * Jack Holt, Attorney General of Arkansas
 * John L. McClellan, United States House of Representatives for Arkansas's 6th congressional district

Candidates

 * Homer Adkins, Democratic
 * Harley C. Stump, mayor of Stuttgart. Stump was nominated at the Republican State Convention on May 11, 1940.
 * Walter Scott McNutt, Independent, candidate for Governor in 1938