This is a paid political announcement.
Arkadelphia native Michael L. Ankton has announced his candidacy for Clark County Judge in the 2026 election.
“I am running for County Judge because I believe Clark County deserves leadership that is present, fair, and focused on every community, from Arkadelphia to our smallest rural towns,” Ankton said. “People are asking for better roads, stronger public safety, real economic opportunity, and an honest, transparent county government that listens to working families.”
Ankton currently serves as Justice of the Peace for District 2 on the Clark County Quorum Court. He is a graduate of Arkadelphia High School and a middle school social studies teacher at L. M. Goza Middle School. He recently earned a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from HSU and is pursuing a doctorate in Rural and Diverse Educational Leadership from SAU. He is married to Latavia Johnson Ankton.
In addition to his work in the classroom and on the Quorum Court, Ankton is active in community and civic life. He serves as a licensed funeral director at Williams Funeral Home, is involved in local conservation and education initiatives, and volunteers with youth programs and civic organizations across the county.
On the Quorum Court, Ankton has already pushed for greater transparency and stronger public safety. He authored the livestream ordinance requiring regular quorum court meetings to be streamed for the public, which passed unanimously. He also made the motion to award Clark County’s 911 ambulance contract to Valor EMS after months of public discussion about emergency response in the county, a decision that was approved on an 11–0 vote.
“As County Judge, my priorities will be clear,” Ankton said. “First, improve and maintain our rural roads so people can safely get to work, school, church, and the doctor. Second, support public safety by working closely with law enforcement and emergency services. Third, focus on economic development that lifts up all of Clark County, supporting our local businesses, attracting new opportunities, and investing in our workforce. And finally, bring true transparency to county government so taxpayers know how decisions are made and how their money is spent.”
A key part of that transparency, Ankton said, will be making county government more accessible to residents who live farther from the courthouse. “I want us to regularly livestream our meetings so people in every corner of Clark County can watch from home, and I want to expand the online services available through the county so more business can be done without taking off work or driving into town,” he said.
Ankton is running as a Democrat, but he says this race is not about party labels, it is about people. “At the county level, a D or an R should never matter more than whether you trust the person to do a good job,” he said. “I want to earn that trust by showing up, listening, and working every day for the best interests of Clark County.”
CLICK HERE to visit the Michael Ankton for County Judge website.
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