Election filing begins at noon today, with state office candidates filing at the Capitol, and local candidates going to county courthouses.

The secretary of state's office will be posting candidates on-line at this link.

Filing runs through noon March 3. Politicking is well underway, with a sum exceeding $1 million already spent in the U.S. Senate and governor's races.

Green and Libertarian Parties have qualified for the state ballot and are choosing candidates by convention. The Libertarian Party announced a slate, down to Pulaski County JP, over the weekend. It follows. It includes a famous name, Elvis Presley, for Arkansas land commissioner, which guarantees an opponent for incumbent Republican John Thurman. No Democrat has yet indicated an interest in running.

LIBERTARIAN NEWS RELEASE

The Libertarian Party of Arkansas nominated 26 candidates, the largest number in its history, for the 2014 election ballot at its state convention, held this weekend in Little Rock.

Heading the state Libertarian ticket is Frank Gilbert, running for Governor of Arkansas. Gilbert currently serves as constable of Dekalb Township in Grant County, attending to the rural areas of northwest Grant County. Gilbert also served as mayor of Tull, Arkansas, for eight years, coroner of Grant County for two years, and is a former president of the Bauxite Education Association.

"I am excited by the opportunity, as the Libertarian Party's nominee for Governor, to carry the message that free men and women have an absolute right to conduct their lives in any way they choose, so long as they don't infringe on the equal rights of others," Gilbert said, "as well as our absolute responsibility to bear the result of our actions. The Libertarian Party is the only political entity that has that message for the voters of Arkansas. I believe it will be a refreshing change from the politics-as-usual of the old parties. I intend to campaign vigorously throughout the state."

If the Libertarian Party candidate for Governor receives at least 3% of the vote, the party will be automatically certified to run candidates in the next election cycle, without having to petition for a spot on the ballot.

Libertarian candidates nominated for other statewide races are Nathan LaFrance, U.S. Senate; Christopher Olson, Lt. Governor; Jacob Holloway, Secretary of State; Brian Leach, Auditor; Chris Hayes, Treasurer; and Elvis D. Presley, Land Commissioner.

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Political filing season opens; Elvis is in the building