Election Commission adds second Early Voting site

Marion PAC, WM Civic Center to serve as Early Voting hubs beginning Oct. 19

By RALPH HARDIN

ralphhardin@gmail.com

The Crittenden County Election Commission is making plans to have two Early Voting locations in advance of the Nov. 3 General Election, making it easier for county voters to safely cast their ballots.

The commission had already made the choice to take Early Voting out of its traditional staging area in the Crittenden County Quorum Court chambers in the county courthouse due to the pandemic.

“Because of COVID-19 concerns, the usual location is being moved from the County Courthouse to the Marion Performing Arts Building,” said commission chair Dixie Carlson.

Carlson said that the commission starting looking at an alternative site months ago when it became obvious that the Courthouse location was not suitable.

“We are grateful that the Marion School District for allowing us to use their facility for the two weeks of early voting. The Marion Performing Arts Building will allow us to use more machines in a safer environment.”

After considering all its options, the commission decided to add a second Early Voting site, giving more voters easier and more convenient safe voting options. New for this election will be an Early Voting location at the Eugene Woods Civic Center in West Memphis.

“The Election Commission decided to add the additional site to lessen the congestion of Early Voting at the traditional one location,” election commissioner Frank Barton said, “The Civic Center meets all of our concerns for Early Voting in a COVID-19 situation and we appreciate the city administration making the building available to us” Early Voting begins on Monday, Oct. 19, and runs through Monday, Nov. 2. Early Voting hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays (no Sunday voting). On Monday, Nov. 2, the hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Some other Poll location changes for the General Election were also announced by the Election Commission. The poll location at the County Office Building is being moved to the Marion Performing Arts Center on Election Day.

“The Election Commission decided on the change for this election since the County Office building hosts the largest number of registered voters and the Marion Performing Arts building is larger and it will already be set up because of its use in Early Voting,” said Barton.

The other poll change announced was the moving and combining of Pilgrim’s Rest Baptist Church and Mt. Olive Baptist Church, and moving the two locations to the Neighborhood Center. The Election Commission noted that the Neighborhood Center was originally a poll location and the two church buildings are in close proximity. It made sense to use the larger facility of the Neighborhood Center to help spread out people during voting.

BARTON

CARLSON