John Thurston
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| 34th Secretary of State of Arkansas | |
| Assumed office January 15, 2019 | |
| Governor | Asa Hutchinson Sarah Huckabee Sanders |
| Preceded by | Mark Martin |
| Land Commissioner of Arkansas | |
| In office January 11, 2011 – January 15, 2019 | |
| Governor | Mike Beebe Asa Hutchinson |
| Preceded by | Mark Wilcox |
| Succeeded by | Tommy Land |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Manuel Thurston (1972-12-27) December 27, 1972 (age 51) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Joanna Thurston |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Henderson State University Agape College |
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John Manuel Thurston (born December 27, 1972) is an American politician who is the current Secretary of State of Arkansas; he was elected in November 2018, and won re-election in 2022. In August 2023, Thurston announced that he would run in a special election for state treasurer in 2024.[1]
He previously was Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands. A Republican, he was first elected to that position in November 2010, took office in January 2011, and was reelected in November 2014 to a second term.[2]
Thurston graduated in 1991 from Sheridan High SchoolinGrant County in southern Arkansas. He then attended Agape College in the capital city of Little Rock. He is a former licensed Christian minister and a Certified Religious Assistant in the Arkansas state prison system. He worked 13 years for Agape Church in Little Rock before entering politics.[2]
Thurston is the first Republican to be elected as Land Commissioner since the office became elective in 1874.[3] In 2014, Thurston was elected as the president of the Western States Land Commissioners Association;[4] the organization's winter conference was held in Little Rock that year.[5]
Limited to two terms as state lands commissioner, Thurston announced in June 2016 he would run in 2018 for election as Arkansas secretary of state. As important issues, he cited election security, physical security, political accessibility, and redistricting of legislative boundaries.[6] Thurston faced Trevor Drown in the Republican primary election,[7] and was chosen as the Republican nominee.[8] Running against former Director of Elections, Susan Inman, as the Democratic nominee, Thurston won election on November 6, 2018, as the next Arkansas Secretary of State.[9] Thurston won re-election on November 6, 2022.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John M. Thurston | 396,263 | 52.68 | |
| Democratic | L.J. Bryant | 355,996 | 47.32 | |
| Turnout | 752,259 | 36.17 | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
John Thurston (R) |
Mark Robertson (D) |
Elvis D. Presley (L) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | October 30–November 1, 2014 | 1,092 | ± 3% | 45% | 36% | 9% | 10% |
| Public Policy Polling | September 18–21, 2014 | 1,453 | ± 2.6% | 38% | 33% | 7% | 22% |
| Public Policy Polling | August 1–3, 2014 | 1,066 | ± 3% | 40% | 29% | 10% | 22% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 25–27, 2014 | 840 | ± 3.4% | 28% | 27% | 17% | 29% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Thurston (Incumbent) | 471,848 | 57.17 | |
| Democratic | Mark Robertson | 302,048 | 36.59 | |
| Libertarian | Elvis D. Presley | 51,518 | 6.24 | |
| Majority | 169,800 | 20.57% | ||
| Total votes | 825,414 | 100 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dennis Wohlford |
Republican nominee for Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands 2010, 2014 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee for Secretary of State of Arkansas 2018, 2022 |
Most recent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Land Commissioner of Arkansas 2011–2019 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Secretary of State of Arkansas 2019–present |
Incumbent |
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Statewide elected officials and legislative leaders of Arkansas
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| U. S. senators |
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| State government |
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| Senate |
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| House |
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| Supreme Court |
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Christianity
Politics
