House OKs legislation regulating voting dates

The Arkansas House on Monday approved a bill intended to require local jurisdictions to hold special elections for measures and questions on primary and general election dates.

House Bill 1510 by Rep. David Ray, R-Maumelle, passed with a vote of 74-16 and advanced to the Senate.

Ray said his bill is needed to standardize election dates and increase voter turnout. The bill would prevent local officials from “holding special elections at irregular times to raise taxes on our citizens,” he said.

Ray argued the bill would reduce taxes over time.

“When voters actually know when the election is going to be held, it’s much harder to sneak things past them,” he said.

Rep. Jim Wooten, R-Beebe, spoke against the bill, saying it would infringe on local control.

“[Local officials] have to answer for proposals they make. They have to answer for any tax increase. They have to answer for any cost … when their re-election comes up,” Wooten said.

Ray said his bill would not infringe on local control and noted the state is responsible for regulating elections.

The bill would allow officials to hold special elections for questions and measures on the second Tuesday of March and November in years with a presidential election. In all other years, the bill would permit special elections on the second Tuesday of May and November.

Under the bill, special elections held in months in which a preferential primary or general election is scheduled must be held on the date of the primary or general election. If the second Tuesday of the month is a legal holiday, the election must be held on the third Tuesday of the month.

Under current law, special elections are permitted on the second Tuesday of March, May, August and November during presidential election years and February, May, August and November in all other years.

The bill includes provisions that would allow for emergency special elections during other months under a limited set of conditions.

These instances include cases where the governing entity would become “incapable of performing its lawful duties and obligations” without an election due to a natural disaster or an interpretation of the law by a state or federal judge. The bill also would permit emergency special elections if the governing body determines the election is needed due to “imminent danger to public health and safety.”