Law will reduce polling sites, say 2 counties

FAYETTEVILLE — Election officials in Benton and Washington counties said Thursday that a bill pending in the state Legislature regarding campaign signs and electioneering could cost them the use of many established polling places.

Senate Bill 275 was discussed at separate meetings Thursday by the Benton and Washington County election commissions. In both meetings, election officials said they have heard from a number of polling locations saying they don’t want to be forced to allow signs and electioneering on their properties and could end their participation in elections if the bill becomes a matter of state law.

“I could lose all three of my polling sites in Bella Vista,” Kim Dennison, Benton County’s election coordinator, said Thursday. What am I going to do with 15,000 people who want to vote and have no place to go?”

Dennison said she has heard from a number of churches that have served as polling locations in Benton County elections and many have expressed concerns about losing control of their property during elections if the proposed legislation passes.

“I know that I’m going to lose a lot of churches,” Dennison said. “It infringes on the property owner’s rights.”

SB 275 is sponsored by Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton. It has been referred back to the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs for discussion and possible amendment.

As written, the bill says any polling site or vote center shall allow any person outside the building and more than 100 feet from the primary entrance used by voters to audibly disseminate information advocating for or against any candidate, issue or measure on the ballot; display signs held in a person’s hand advocating for or against any candidate, issue or measure on a ballot; and display attire advocating for or against any candidate, issue or measure on a ballot.

Washington County election officials expressed the same concerns as Dennison. Jennifer Price, the Election Commission’s executive director, said she heard from a number of locations, mostly churches but also including Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, about the electioneering legislation. Price said electioneering at polling places is currently prohibited inside a 100-foot space from the entrance to the polling place and also limited by an attorney general’s opinion stating that property owners do not lose control of their property while it’s being used as a polling place.

“These locations don’t allow signs on their property,” Price said.

Washington County has 26 polling places for the upcoming school elections, and 18 of those are churches, Price said.

Jim Estes, a Washington County election commissioner, said if the law mandates that polling places allow signs and electioneering outside the 100-foot space from the entrance, many will end their participation in elections.

“What I understand is if they mandate that it be allowed everywhere, we’re going to lose churches because of this,” Estes said.