Early Voting Kicks Off Monday

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by Michael Wilkey ([email protected]) October 19, 2014 4:29 pm 108 views 

The home stretch of the 2014 campaign starts Monday (Oct. 20) as voters get an opportunity to mark ballots for this year’s general election.
Early voting begins Monday at locations around the state as election officials put their finishing touches on getting polling sites ready.Laura Labay, spokesman for Secretary of State Mark Martin, said Friday her office was working to update its website to help people get information about political races and ballot issues that will be decided Nov. 4.

There may be some change in the manner of voting this year in light of a recent state Supreme Court ruling on voter ID.

The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Act 595, which was passed by the state legislature in 2013, was unconstitutional because it added “an additional qualification” other than the four set by state law.

According to the Secretary of State’s website, state and federal law do require first time voters to provide identification. Voters who register to vote by mail and do not include valid identification in the paperwork are required to provide identification at the polls.

People can use a photo identification, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or a government document with a person’s name and address on it, Martin said on the website.

As of Oct. 6 (the deadline to register to vote in the November election), Arkansas had 1,688,680 registered voters. A little less than 10 percent of that number (131,785) registered between Jan. 1 and Oct. 6, Labay said.

It is about 95,000 more than was reported in June 2013 and about 70,000 more than were registered for the November general election.

MAJOR RACES
The following are a list of major races on the ballot Nov. 4:

Federal Races
United States Senate – Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Dardanelle; Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Little Rock; Nathan LaFrance, L-Bella Vista; and Mark Swaney, G-Huntsville.

United States House 1 – Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro; Jackie McPherson, D-Heber Springs; and Brian Scott Wilhite, L-Cabot.

United States House 2 – Patrick Henry Hays, D-North Little Rock; French Hill, R-Little Rock; and Debbie Standiford, L-North Little Rock.

United States House 3 – Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, and Grant Brand, L-Pea Ridge.

United States House 4 – State Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs; James Lee Witt, D-Dardanelle; and Ken Hamilton, L-El Dorado.

Statewide Races
Governor – Asa Hutchinson, R-Rogers; Mike Ross, D-Little Rock; Josh Drake, G-Hot Springs; and Frank Gilbert, L-Tull.

Lt. Governor – John Burkhalter, D-Little Rock; Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Little Rock; and Christopher A. Olson, L-Leslie.

Attorney General – Leslie Rutledge, R-Little Rock; State Rep. Nate Steel, D-Nashville; and Aaron Scott Cash, L-Springdale.

Secretary of State – Susan Inman, D-Little Rock; Secretary of State Mark Martin, R-Prairie Grove; and Jacob D. Holloway, L-Little Rock.

Treasurer – Karen Sealy Garcia, D-Hot Springs; Dennis Milligan, R-Alexander; and Chris Hayes, L-Little Rock.

Auditor – Regina Stewart Hampton, D-Little Rock; State Rep. Andrea Lea, R-Russellville; and Brian Leach, L-Fort Smith.

Land Commissioner – John Thurston, R-Little Rock; Mark A. Robertson, D-Little Rock and Elvis D. Presley, L-Star City.

There are also five ballot measures affecting state law and the state Constitution that will also be on the general election ballot. You can read more about them here.People can vote from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays during early voting.

Early voting ends on Monday, Nov. 3 at 5 p.m.

Also, people can go to this link to look up the ballot in their county as well as information on their voter registration.