Arkansas Secretary of State explains how to request an absentee ballot

Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston issued a statement in June telling citizens the reasons that registered voters could present for requesting an absentee ballot. Now, there are further instructions for exactly how to go about doing that.

Options for Requesting a Ballot:

Request to have an absentee ballot application sent to you by contacting your county clerk in the county where you are registered to vote.
Click here to download and complete an absentee ballot application, then return this application to the County Clerk in the county where you are registered to vote. In Saline County, the County Clerk’s contact info is 215 North Main Street, Suite 9, Benton, AR 72015, 501-303-5630, [email protected].

The Secretary of State’s office has given instructions on how to fill out the form. Read them below:

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.mysaline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/sos_How_to_Complete_the_Absentee_Ballot_Application.pdf”]

Qualifications to Vote Absentee

To be qualified to vote an absentee ballot, you must meet one of the following criteria:

You will be unavoidably absent from your polling site on election day, OR
You will be unable to attend your polling site on election day due to illness or physical disability, OR
You are a member of the Uniformed Services, merchant marines or the spouse or a dependant family member and are away from your polling location due to the member’s active duty status, OR
A U.S. citizen whose residence is in Arkansas but is temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States.

Absentee Voting as it Relates to the Covid-19 Pandemic

CLICK HERE to view the State Board of Election Commissioners’ resolution regarding absentee voting as it relates to the Covid-19 pandemic.

UOCAVA Voters

If you are a Uniformed Service Member, Merchant Marine member, or Overseas Citizen, CLICK HERE for information about voting absentee.

Deadline for Submission of Application:

In Person: by close of business the day BEFORE the election
By Designated Bearer or Administrator: by close of business the day BEFORE the election(Designated Bearer is anyone you choose to pick up or deliver your application or ballot)
By Mail or by Electronic Means: by 7 days before the election
By Authorized Agent: by 1:30 p.m. ON election day.The authorized agent must file with the County Clerk an affidavit from the administrative head of a hospital or nursing home located in this state verifying that the applicant is a patient of the hospital or long-term care or residential care facility licensed by the state and is thereby unable to vote on the election day at his or her regular polling site.

Deadline for Ballot Pickup:

By Designated Bearers: no earlier than 15 days before a preferential primary election, general election, school election or special election and no earlier than 7 days before a runoff election.
By Anyone Else: no deadline specified in Arkansas law. You should base your ballot pick up on the ability to return it to the County Clerk on time.

Deadline for Delivery of Voted Ballot to County Clerk:

In Person: by close of business the day BEFORE the election
By Designated Bearer: by 7:30 p.m. ON election day
By Mail: received at clerks office by 7:30 p.m. ON election day, you may NOT fax or email a ballot. UOCAVA voters must vote their ballot by Election Day, and it must be received by their county clerk by 5:00p.m. 10 days after the election.
By Authorized Agent: by 7:30 p.m. ON election day

Questions