Arkansas Voter Registration Deadlines
You must send your application to an official voter registration office or have it postmarked at least 30 days before the election date you intend to vote. For applications sent by mail, the postmark date stamped by the post office will be the submission date.
Arkansas does not offer same-day voter registration. You must register by the 30-day deadline to vote in an election.
If you sent your application close to the voter registration deadline, it is highly recommended that you confirm its status with the county clerk before Election Day.
How Can I Check My Voter Registration?
After your local county clerk processes your Voter Registration Application, they will send you a copy of your voter registration card. This process could take several weeks. Do not presume you are registered to vote until the county clerk sends your voter registration card.
You can check your voter registration status through VoterView, or contact your county clerk’s office to confirm your registration.
How Do I Request an Absentee Ballot?
You can request to have an absentee ballot application sent to you by contacting the county clerk where you’re registered to vote, or you can download one from the Arkansas Secretary of State website.
Absentee ballots are issued to Arkansas voters who:
- Cannot vote at their polling site on Election Day
- Can’t vote in person due to illness or physical disability
- Are serving in the military away from their polling place, or are they a dependent family member of such a person
- Are an Arkansas resident temporarily living outside the United States
Absentee Ballot Requirements
Arkansas requires photo identification with absentee ballots. When you return your completed absentee ballot, you must include one of the following:
- A photocopy of a qualifying photo ID (same types of ID accepted for in-person voting, listed below), OR
- Your driver’s license number or state ID number AND the last four digits of your Social Security Number written on the absentee ballot application or return envelope as designated.
Failure to provide this identification will result in your absentee ballot being rejected.
Absentee Ballot Deadlines
- Request deadline: Absentee ballot applications must be received by your county clerk by 7 days before Election Day
- Return deadline: Completed absentee ballots must be received by your county clerk’s office by the close of polls on Election Day. Ballots received after polls close will not be counted, even if postmarked before Election Day.
You can contact your county clerk with other questions about absentee voting.
How Do I Vote on Election Day?
Arkansas law requires voters to verify their voter registration by providing a document or identification card that shows:
- A photo of the voter
- The name of the voter
- Proof that the State of Arkansas, the United States, or an accredited postsecondary educational institution issued the ID
If the ID has an expiration date and is currently valid, it will be accepted. If the ID has expired, it will still be accepted if the expiration date is no more than four years before Election Day.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
- Arkansas driver’s license
- Photo identification card issued by the Arkansas Office of Motor Vehicles
- Concealed handgun carry license issued by Arkansas
- U.S. passport
- Employee badge or ID issued by an Arkansas state or local government entity
- U.S. military identification document
- Student ID issued by an accredited Arkansas college or university
- Public college or university student ID issued by any state
- ID issued by an Arkansas public school
Photo ID is required for both in-person voting and early voting.
Voters in Care Facilities
Arkansas does not require voters residing in licensed residential care facilities or long-term care facilities to present voter identification when voting in person. They can instead present a document from the facility administrator certifying their residency.
What If I Forget My ID?
Arkansas voters who cannot provide acceptable identification can still vote using a provisional ballot. If you return by 12 p.m. on the Monday after Election Day and provide an ID or document meeting the requirements, election officials will count your vote.
Early Voting in Arkansas
Early voting allows Arkansas voters to cast their ballots before Election Day. The early voting period for general elections runs from 15 days before Election Day through the day before the election (ending at 5 p.m. on the Monday before Election Day).
Photo ID is required for early voting, just as it is required on Election Day.
Early voting typically takes place at the county clerk’s office. Some counties also allow voting at additional off-site locations. You can find your polling location using the Arkansas Secretary of State’s polling place search.
The following is the typical schedule for early voting during preferential primary and general elections in Arkansas:
- Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturdays: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Early voting ends at 5 p.m. on the Monday before Election Day. Voting hours for off-site early voting locations may differ from the county clerk’s office hours. Check your local newspaper or contact your county clerk for specific times and locations.
Can I Bring a Sample Ballot to the Polling Place?
Yes. You can bring notes, a voter’s guide, or a sample ballot to help you remember your choices. Voters often use sample ballots to remember their choice of candidates and positions on ballot measures.
You cannot use electronic devices or cell phones inside the voting area, but you may bring paper notes or a printed sample ballot.
Polling Place Accommodations
Federal and state law requires that polling places ensure voters with disabilities have the opportunity to exercise their voting rights.
The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 (VAEHA) mandates that all polling locations in federal elections be accessible to voters with disabilities. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) further requires that each polling location for federal elections have at least one voting system accessible to people with disabilities.
Curbside Voting
Arkansas offers curbside voting for voters who are unable to enter the polling place due to age, physical disability, or illness.
If you need curbside voting, notify a poll worker when you arrive, and two election officials (from different political parties) will bring a ballot to your vehicle.
Assistance for Voters with Disabilities
Voters who need assistance may receive help from:
- A person of the voter’s choice (except the voter’s employer, an agent of the employer, or an officer or agent of the voter’s union)
- Two election officials from different political parties
Each polling place must have accessible voting equipment that allows voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently.
What to Do About Voter Intimidation and Interference at the Polls
Every citizen has the right to cast their ballot free from interference or intimidation. If you encounter problems at your polling place or witness conduct that appears illegal, it’s important to know your options for reporting and protecting your voting rights.
Recognizing Problems at the Polls
Under Arkansas law and federal voting rights statutes, certain activities at polling locations are prohibited:
- Interference with the voting process, such as blocking entrances to polling places, creating disturbances that prevent voters from casting ballots, or physically interfering with voters.
- Electioneering violations occur when someone campaigns or displays campaign materials within 100 feet of a polling place entrance. This prohibition extends to wearing campaign buttons, shirts, or hats inside this buffer zone.
- Voter intimidation involves threatening or coercing voters, either to prevent them from voting or to influence their vote choice. This includes following voters, aggressive questioning about their right to vote, or making threats.
- Fraudulent activity encompasses voting under a false identity, voting multiple times, voting when ineligible (such as while serving a felony sentence), or assisting others in committing fraud.
- Improper challenges occur when individuals systematically question voters’ eligibility based on race, ethnicity, or other discriminatory factors rather than legitimate concerns.
- Photography and recording inside Arkansas polling places is prohibited. Voters may not use cameras or recording devices in voting areas.
- Vote buying involves offering or accepting money, goods, or services in exchange for votes.
How to Report Problems at the Polls
At the polling place: Immediately inform the election judge or poll workers. They have the authority to address disruptions and enforce Arkansas election laws. In many cases, issues can be resolved on-site.
Contact your county clerk: Arkansas county clerks oversee election administration in their jurisdictions. If poll workers cannot resolve the issue, contact your county clerk’s office directly.
For serious violations or if local officials are unresponsive, contact the Arkansas Secretary of State‘s Elections Division at (501) 682-5070. You can file complaints about:
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Criminal activity such as fraud or intimidation
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Election official misconduct
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Help America Vote Act violations
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Systemic problems affecting multiple voters
Federal authorities: The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division investigates federal voting rights violations. Call 1-800-253-3931 or file complaints online, particularly for:
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Discrimination based on race, color, or language minority status
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Violations of the Voting Rights Act
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Intimidation affecting federal elections
The Election Protection Hotline (866-OUR-VOTE / 866-687-8683) provides real-time nonpartisan support for voters experiencing difficulties. Volunteers can help you understand your rights and connect you with appropriate resources. Spanish language assistance is available at 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682).
Protecting Your Vote
Even if you encounter problems, you still have options to cast your ballot:
Request a provisional ballot if poll workers question your registration or eligibility. After voting provisionally, you have until noon on the Monday following Election Day to provide acceptable identification to your county clerk. If you do, your vote will count.
Stay in line if you arrive before the polls close. Arkansas law protects your right to vote if you’re in line when polls officially close, even if it takes additional time.
Ask for help if you’re unsure about procedures or your rights. Poll workers should assist you, or you can call the Election Protection Hotline for guidance.
Document what you witness if you observe illegal activity. Note the time, location, specific behavior you witnessed, and anyone else who saw it. This information helps election officials and law enforcement investigate complaints.
Get Legal Help
Arkansas election officials and law enforcement take violations seriously. Your report could help not only resolve your own situation but also protect other voters’ rights and maintain election integrity.
You can also contact an attorney experienced in voting rights and election law if you feel your voting rights have been violated. Election law attorneys can provide guidance about your specific situation and may be able to intervene if your rights are being violated.
The democratic process depends on fair, accessible elections. By reporting irregularities and exercising your rights, you help ensure that every eligible Arkansas voter can participate in choosing their representatives.
POLLING PLACE FINDER
