LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas voters next year will take part in an unprecedented political fruit-basket turnover, at least in modern politics.

The state’s top constitutional offices – governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general – are being vacated – two officially and one unofficially. Forty years will have passed since voters attached new faces to those positions in one fell swoop. In 1966, there was no open seat in the attorney general’s race, but voters booted the incumbent. The other two races were without incumbents.

“This really may be the first time that this degree of openness has happened,” said Jay Barth, political science professor at Hendrix College in Conway.

Term limits will account for the departure of Gov. Mike Huckabee and Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller. Attorney General Mike Beebe is leaving his post to run for governor, although he has yet to officially announce his intentions, making the vacancy unofficial for now.

In 1966, Gov. Orval Faubus and Lt. Gov. Nathan Gordon chose not to seek re-election. Faubus was replaced by Winthrop Rockefeller, a shocker because Rockefeller was the first Republican governor elected since Reconstruction.

Gordon was replaced by Maurice L. “Footsie” Britt, also a Republican, who came to office on Rockefeller’s coattails.

Attorney General Bruce Bennett ran for re-election in 1996 but lost the Democratic primary to Joe Purcell, who went on to defeat Republican Jerry K. Thomasson.

For political buffs, other similarities between then and now are noteworthy.

Reminiscent of 1966 is the Republican flavor of candidates vying for the top two offices.

Win Rockefeller, whose father won the governorship in 1966, is running for governor. He’ll face Republican Asa Hutchinson, the former congressman and most recently the deputy Homeland Security Department director.

For lieutenant governor, three Republicans have announced: state Sen. Jim Holt of Springdale, state Rep. Doug Matayo of Springdale and Jim Lagrone of Bryant, a Baptist minister and former head of the state Baptist Convention.

For attorney general, the only Republican considering that race is state Rep. Marvin Childers of Blytheville.

“It’s also much like 1966 in some ways in that we now have a two-party system, and there was a temporary two-party system then when Rockefeller in many ways was kind of funding the Republican Party,” Barth said. “Now there’s a little more legitimate two-party system, although it does appear that Republicans are still having difficulty recruiting candidates for (constitutional) offices, for the attorney general’s office, at least.”

The state GOP last week still lacked candidates for secretary of state, auditor, land commissioner and treasurer, although one is considering a run for secretary of state, said Sen. Gilbert Baker, R-Conway, the state party chairman.

Republican Rep. Stephen Bright of Maumelle is considering the secretary of state’s race, Bright confirmed Friday.

Those offices are held by Democrats: Secretary of State Charlie Daniels, Treasurer Gus Wingfield, Land Commissioner Mark Wilcox, and Auditor Jim Wood. With the exception of Wingfield, none have drawn Democratic challengers. Former state Rep. Don House, D-Walnut Ridge, will challenge Wingfield if he seeks re-election.

With turnover in the top three offices, particularly the governor’s and lieutenant governor’s seats, candidates have been lining up a little earlier than usual.

Rockefeller announced his candidacy in February and Hutchinson announced in March. The Democrat, Beebe, has hired a campaign manager even though he has not announced.

“I think everybody knew this was going to be a pretty special political year,” Barth said. “It’s going to be a fun year.”

Baker and Jason Willett, the Democratic Party chairman say they’re excited about their candidates’ prospects.

“I think it’s going to be a great election cycle – one focused on state races,” Baker said, adding that Arkansas’ choice of President Bush over U.S. Sen. John Kerry last year bodes well for his party’s candidates.

“The fact that Bush did so well in Arkansas I think has encouraged a lot of people to step up and consider running as Republicans because of those basic core values that President Bush has espoused,” Baker said. “I just think it gives us a lot of momentum going into the next cycle.”

Democratic Party Chairman Jason Willett said having the three open seats has energized his party, the governor’s seat, especially.

“I think the good news is we’ve got a lot of star quality candidates seeking office,” Willett said.

Beebe has drawn no known opposition in the governor’s race, which Willett said has surprised him, adding that he attributed it to other potential candidates backing off and endorsing Beebe.

“I think it is interesting to note that Gen. Wesley Clark, as well as Congressman Marion Berry (D-Gillett) and Congressman Mike Ross (D-Prescott) have all three publicly stated that they’re not going to seek the governor’s race because they believe Mike Beebe is the right person for the job,” Willett said.

The lieutenant governor’s race has attracted state Sen. Tim Wooldridge, D-Paragould, former state Rep. Mike Hathorn, D-Huntsville, and Rep. Jay Martin, D-North Little Rock, as candidates, Willett said.

Democratic candidates for attorney general so far are Rep. Dustin McDaniel, D-Jonesboro, Saline County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Herzfeld, Willett said. Neither has officially announced as a candidate, awaiting Beebe’s announcement that he will not seek re-election.