EARLY VOTING begins Tuesday for runoff election.

FAYETTEVILLE — There will be fewer days to vote early in Northwest Arkansas runoffs than in the November election, and absentee voters should be expecting a ballot in the mail soon if they haven’t already gotten one.

In Washington County, people who voted in person in November but want to vote absentee in a runoff election should fill out an application at the county courthouse or fill it out online at http://bit.ly/washcoabsentee. Applications have to reach election officials by Tuesday, so a mailed application won’t make it in time, said Jennifer Price, county election coordinator.

Those who voted absentee in the November election and live in a city or ward with a runoff should expect a ballot to appear automatically in the mail this week, Price said.

Residents of Benton County who indicated they wanted a runoff ballot may already have one or should expect one soon, said Dana Caler, county elections administrator.

Postmarks don’t make a difference in Arkansas, she said. Election officials have to receive an absentee voter application by Tuesday. Applications

are available online at http://vote.bentoncountryar.gov .

The same goes for ballots. Mailed ballots must arrive to the county clerk’s office by Election Day, which is Dec. 1. Those turning in a ballot in person must do so the day before, Nov. 30.

Early voting will take place Tuesday, Wednesday and Nov. 30. Early voting sites will be closed Thursday and Friday.

Price encouraged voters to

send their mailed ballots soon after receiving them because of the holiday closings.

The Benton County Clerk’s Office can be reached at 271-1013. Washington County can be reached at 444-1711.