Whether it’s concern over the coronavirus pandemic or interest in the presidential election, with over two months before the General Election, area county clerks say absentee voting is on a record-setting pace.Baxter County and Circuit Clerk Canda Reese says as of Friday, her office has received just shy of 1,000 completed and returned absentee ballot applications. With the presidential election in 2016, Reese says just 687 absentee ballots were cast.
Reese says in Arkansas, voters have three options for voting.
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Reese says registered voters apply for absentee ballots from their county clerk’s office. The ballots are mailed to the voters in late Sept. or early Oct. or they may be picked up at the clerk’s office, voted and returned.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has signed an executive order for expanding the use of absentee ballots for this election cycle due to the coronavirus pandemic. In early July, Secretary of State John Thurston said voters could immediately begin requesting absentee ballots.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail or fax is Oct. 27, though a voter may pick up an absentee ballot until Nov. 2, the day before the election.
After working with some voters in the eleventh hour of the last presidential election, Reese has advice for those who may be considering pursuing an absentee ballot for this General Election.
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Reese reminds those planning to vote absentee the process requires a photocopy of their valid voter ID. However, there is an option when one does not have a valid voter ID.
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The pandemic is impacting the upcoming election in other ways. In a future report, Reese talks about the preparations being made.
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