Marion Performing Arts Center to serve as Early Voting hub

Crittenden County residents can begin casting ballots on Oct. 19

ralphhardin@gmail.com In a little less than a month, Early Voting for the Nov. 3 General Election will begin in Arkansas. The number of absentee ballots cast during the November election is expected to be substantially higher than the past, and early voters are expected to be higher in number as well, as citizens look to avoid the long lines on Election Day. The Crittenden County Election Commission is making plans to handle the increased volume.

Arkansas Secretary of State, John Thurston, announced earlier that concern over COVID-19 was a legitimate reason to be “unavoidably absent on election day,” making it easier for voters to elect absentee voting during the Nov. 3 General Election.

Rules are rules, however, and Crittenden County Election Commission chairman Dixie Carlson has explained that the absentee voting process will remain unchanged.

“The voter must still submit an absentee ballot application to the County Clerk,” said Carlson.

The application is available from the Arkansas Secretary of State's office online at www.sos.

arkansas.g ov, or the voter can request it directly from

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the County Clerk's office.

The voter then returns the completed application to the County Clerk. The County Clerk will either mail out an absentee ballot, provide it to a designated bearer, or allow the voter to pick up the ballot, depending on the voter's choice.

Arkansas law still requires the voter to send a copy of their ID with the returned ballot and Carlson said that failing to include the ID was the chief reason why the commission might not count the ballot.

“There are a few instances involving ballots coming from nursing homes that waive the Voter ID requirement but for most voters a copy of their ID should be returned with the ballot,” she said. “The commission plans on bringing in additional workers to go thru the thorough canvassing procedure to process the returned absentee ballots.”

Commissioner Frank Barton said that the commission has been monitoring other states that have been conducting elections since COVID-19 became a serious issue.

“All states are reporting increased absentee voting.

We are fortunate in Arkansas in that our existing laws made it very easy to deal with an increase,” hs said.

• Sept. 4 — Deadline for County Clerk to have absentee applications available • Sept. 18 — Deadline for County Clerk to mail ballots to overseas Voters

• Oct. 9 — Deadline for County Clerk to mail ballots to those absentee voters outside the county

• Oct. 19 — The first day a designated bearer may pick up an absentee ballot. This is also the first day of Early Voting.

• Oct. 27 — Last day County Clerk may receive an absentee application by any means other than in person.

• Nov. 2 — Last day County Clerk may receive absentee application in person.

• Nov. 3 — Election Day

• Dec. 3 — General Election Runoff Elections (if necessary) Additionally, the Election Commission has announced a dates, times and a change of venue for Early Voting, traditionally held at the Crittenden County Courthouse. Due to COVID-19 concerns and social distancing protocols, all Early Voting will take place at the Marion Performing Arts Center, One Patriot Drive, on the southeast end of the Marion High School campus. The facility is more spacious and has a larger capacity than the Crittenden County Quorum Court chambers that has been used in previous elections.

Early voting will be held from Monday, Oct. 19 through Monday, Nov. 2.

Voting will be available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, with Saturday voting available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (No voting on Sundays; Early Voting ends at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2).

Polls will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, statewide from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. An ID is requred to vote.