County Clerk answers ballot questions

BELLA VISTA — Even with more absentee ballots than usual, Benton County Clerk Betsy Harrell told a webinar audience her office is ready for the November election.

There is still time to request an absentee ballot. The deadline is Oct. 27 and her office is processing them as they come in, she said.

Many people have already received their absentee ballot and some have returned them. Harrell said during the webinar last week.

“The number one reason absentee ballots are rejected is no signature (on the voter statement),” she said. In the past, someone could call the voter who didn’t sign but, because of the volume of absentee ballots, she’s not sure that will be possible this year. Occasionally, they receive an envelope without a ballot inside.

Voters don’t have to vote in every race. But if you vote more than once in one race, it won’t count.

If absentee voters make a mistake when they fill in the ballot, they just have to make sure to be clear about which mark is a mistake. Harrell suggested that making an “x” over the incorrect mark and circle the correct mark. The counting machine may reject a ballot that’s been corrected, but it will go into a pile to be hand-counted.

Once the ballot is marked, it goes into its own envelope that says ballot only. That envelope should be sealed and put into the return envelope along with the voter’s statement and a copy of the voter’s ID.

If you use the envelope that accompanies the ballot, it will say “election mail” on the outside and it will get to the county clerk’s office, she said. Even if the voter does not use the extra stamp, the post office will deliver it. It must be received by 7:30 p.m. on election day. In Benton County, the postmark doesn’t matter. The ballot must be in the office on election day.

If people want to return the ballot in person, it can be dropped off at any of the three county clerk’s offices but an ID is required. There is an office in Bentonville, in Rogers and in Siloam Springs. Drop boxes can not be used and ballots cannot be returned to the polling places. If ballots are dropped off in person, they must be in the office by 5 p.m. on the day before election day.

This year, ballots can be dropped off on Saturdays in October at the Benton County Clerk’s office at the Benton

County Administration Building in downtown Bentonville, 215 E. Central Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Voters should drive up, park in a parking spot and call 479-271-1013 and a representative from the county clerk’s office will meet them and check IDs.

There is a procedure for a third party “bearer” to deliver a ballot to the clerk’s office. The voter fills out Box 4 on the voter statement with the name of the bearer, and the bearer’s signature and address must be included. The bearer will be asked for an ID when he or she arrives and can only carry two ballots into the office.

When the clerk’s office processes the ballots in mid-October, it checks the paperwork, making sure the signature on the voter statement matches the signature on the ballot application and then the sealed ballot envelope is separated from the other paperwork so the voter’s privacy is respected. The sealed envelope won’t be opened and counted until election day.

The clerk’s office wants to make sure everyone has the chance to vote. If someone applies for an absentee ballot, a note is made on the registration list to make sure he can’t vote twice. If a voter doesn’t use his absentee ballot, he can return it to the clerk’s office and vote in person or he can go to the polls on election day and fill out a provisional ballot.

Once it’s been confirmed that the absentee ballot has not been returned, the provisional ballot will be counted.

Provisional ballots can also be used by people who don’t have ID when they arrive at the polls.

If a voter is unexpectedly quarantined on election day, she can still vote. Harrell suggested voters call her office and details can be arranged on an individual basis — possibly a poll worker will meet voters in the parking lot.

Early voting begins on Oct. 19. Bella Vista has two sites for early voting, but they are not the same as the last election.

New Life Christian Church at 103 Riordan Road in Bella Vista is open for early voting on Oct. 19 through 23, and Oct. 26 to 30, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. St. Bernard Catholic Church Parish Hall at 1 St. Bernard Lane in Bella Vista is also open Oct. 19 to 23 and Oct. 26 to 30, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Voting information is available at vote.bentoncountyar.gov.