Commissioners approve notices about 2 elections
The Pulaski County Board of Election Commissioners unanimously approved Wednesday notices of election for the coming school and library system special elections.
On the subject of logic and accuracy, the commission staff told the commissioners that the election machinery performed efficiently with no reported issues.
Little Rock and Pulaski County Special school districts will have elections Nov. 2. Early voting begins Oct. 26. This election is for voters within the city limits of Little Rock, Sherwood, Maumelle, Wrightsville, Cammack Village and unincorporated areas of the county.
The Pulaski County Special School District is asking voters to approve restructuring of the district’s bond debt to raise $80 million for building expansions at Mills, Robinson and Maumelle high schools and at Baker Elementary. The restructuring is not a tax increase for property owners, nor does it require the extended levy of the 14.8-debt service mills beyond the current 2048 expiration rate.
The Central Arkansas Library System special election is only for those registered within the city limits of Little Rock. Election day is Nov. 9 with early voting beginning Nov. 2.
Voters will decide whether to add 0.5 mills to Little Rock’s operations and maintenance millage rate, which draws on property taxes. The increase would take the rate from 3.3 to 3.8 mills, potentially generating $2.4 million in additional revenue annually.
Both early voting and election day locations are available on the commission’s website, votepulaski.net.
The start of early voting is also the last day to request that an absentee ballot be mailed, according to the Pulaski County clerk’s website.
Election Commission chairwoman Kristi M. Stahr said the notices needed to use language most people will understand.
“We need to make it easier and simplify,” Stahr said.
In a discussion about redistricting at the county level, the commissioners had some disagreement over who should do the actual creation of the maps. Stahr proposed that the three commissioners — herself, Democrat Susan Inman and Republican David Scott — take on learning how to use the software necessary so they could draw the new boundaries. Meanwhile, Inman said she was not sure that was feasible or needed.
The commissioners decided, if possible, to bring in state and local mapping officials and secretary of state staff to next Wednesday’s 5 p.m. meeting to help discuss the matter further.