State sees robust turnout
Today is last chance to head to the polls
Today, Arkansans will get their final chance to cast their ballots for the president of the United States, a U.S. Senate race and three congressional seats, three statewide ballot measures, legislative seats and other general election contests.
Poll locations open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. The votes of those who cast early or absentee ballots will be tallied after the polls close.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, 741,155 Arkansans had cast early votes in person prior to Monday, compared with 564,458 in the same period in the 2016 general election, said Kevin Niehaus, a spokesman for Republican Secretary of State John Thurston.
In addition, 115,059 of the 131,985 requested absentee ballots in Arkansas had been returned prior to Monday, Niehaus said.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Monday in a written statement, “I voted absentee in Benton County on October 23.”
In total, more than 1.2 million Arkansans are expected to vote in the election, or about 68% of the state’s registered voters, according to projections from Thurston’s office. Such a turnout would result in nearly 100,000 more ballots being cast than in 2016, when turnout was under 65%.
“Arkansas has approximately 70,000 more registered voters in this election than in 2016,” Niehaus said Monday in a written statement. “That factored in with what we think are greater voter enthusiasm and voter mobilization efforts all contribute to what we think will be a higher turnout.”
In Pulaski County, Elections Director Bryan Poe said he’s expecting about 175,000, or 65% of the county’s approximately 269,000 registered voters, to cast ballots in the general election, up from a voter turnout of 64% in the 2016 general election.
“The presidential race is always what brings people out,” he said.
Republican President Donald Trump is vying with former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden and 11 other presidential candidates on the ballot in Arkansas.
In Saline County, Election Coordinator Allison Cain said, “We are looking for this [general election’s turnout] to go above 2016’s numbers,” when 70.4% of the county’s registered voters turned out. Saline County has 77,448 registered voters, she said.
Cain said the presidential race and the 2nd Congressional District race between Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill of Little Rock and Democratic state Sen. Joyce Elliott of Little Rock are driving voter turnout.
“I think there is a huge concern over this election, [and that’s] why turnout is so big,” she said.
In Washington County, Elections Coordinator Jennifer Price said, “We are planning between 65% to 75%” voter turnout, compared with 65% in the 2016 general election election. Washington County has 140,765 registered voters, according to the secretary of state’s office.
In Benton County, spokesman Channing Barker said that “we hope to hit 80% total voter turnout” in this year’s general election, compared with 67.8% voter turnout in 2016. Benton County has 170,002 registered voters, according to the secretary of state’s office.
In his bid for a second sixyear term, Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Little Rock is being challenged by Libertarian candidate Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. of Pine Bluff.
Besides Saline and Pulaski counties, the 2nd Congressional District includes Conway, Faulkner, Perry, Van Buren and White counties.
On Monday, Hill and his supporters greeted voters outside polling places and waved signs along busy thoroughfares. He tweeted photos Monday of his stops in Morrilton, Conway and Jacksonville. He also invited supporters to join him at Republican Party of Arkansas headquarters in Little Rock on Monday evening to help distribute campaign signs.
Meanwhile, Elliott visited voting locations in the district and tweeted that the Cook Political Report changed its rating for her race with Hill from lean Republican to a toss-up. In addition, she invited supporters to join her for a virtual phone bank Monday evening that featured an appearance by former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
In Arkansas’ 3rd Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Womack of Rogers faces a challenge from Bella Vista Democrat Celeste Williams and Libertarian candidate Michael Kalagias of Rogers.
In the 4th Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs is opposed by Hot Springs Democrat William Hanson and Libertarian candidate Frank Gilbert of White Hall.
In the 1st Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro is unopposed.
The main Republican Party of Arkansas watch party will be at the Embassy Suites in west Little Rock. Doors will open at 7 p.m, said Seth Mays, a party spokesman.
“This will be the central location for the Cotton and Hill campaigns, also,” Mays said in a written statement. “Masks are required and temperatures will be checked for all attendees.”
Hutchinson said Monday that “I will be working out of the residence and watching returns.”
“Depending upon the circumstances, I may stop by Embassy Suites but I will be available to the media as needed,” the Republican governor said in a written statement.
The Democratic Party of Arkansas is holding an election night “drive-in” party at MP Outdoor Cinemas in Little Rock from about 6:30 until 11 p.m., said party spokesman Jacob Kauffman. According to Elliott campaign spokesman Neil Goodman, Elliott will be at her campaign’s Little Rock headquarters.
While Hutchinson isn’t on today’s ballot, he is the leading promoter of the proposed constitutional amendment that would permanently extend the state’s 0.5% sales tax for highways and roads. It’s Issue 1 on the ballot.
Voters in November 2012 approved the tax for highways and roads for a 10-year period that expires in June 2023.
State officials project that voter approval of Issue 1 would help raise about $205 million a year for highways and about $44 million a year each for cities and counties for their roads in the future.
The two other statewide ballot measures are Issue 2, which would eliminate lifetime term limits for lawmakers, and Issue 3, which would make it more difficult for Arkansans to qualify proposed measures for the general election ballot and make it more difficult for the Legislature to refer proposed constitutional amendments to voters. The Legislature referred Issues 1, 2 and 3 to voters.
Several legislative races in Central Arkansas and south Arkansas have been hotly contested in today’s election.
In addition, 11 Arkansas counties are using new voting equipment for the first time in this year’s general election, according to Thurston’s office.
They are Bradley, Conway, Fulton, Jefferson, Lee, Monroe, Newton, Pulaski, Scott, Searcy and Stone counties, Niehaus said.
“We have not heard of any issues at this point,” he said.
Pulaski County officials have experienced “nothing out of the ordinary” with the new voting machines, he said. The county has replaced four voting machines so far, compared with more than 20 in previous elections, he noted.
Regarding the contentious presidential campaign, Hutchinson was asked whether he condones Trump supporters blocking bridges, as they did in New York, and harassing Biden buses, such as in Texas, and whether that has occurred in Arkansas on either side.
“I am not aware of any disruptive behavior between the Presidential campaigns in Arkansas,” the governor said in a written statement. “Of course, both sides should campaign freely without interference.”