Early voting begins for May 24 primary election; Northwest Arkansas voters start casting their ballots

Election officials in Benton and Washington counties said the first day of early voting for the May 24 primary election was slower than expected.

"I thought we would be a lot busier," Jennifer Price, executive director for the Washington County Election Commission, said Monday afternoon. "The county courthouse has been the busiest of the voting sites so far."

"It's been slow, but steady," Benton County Clerk Betsy Harrell said Monday afternoon, adding that Benton County election officials had seen no real problems.

"It's just been the usual first day kind of things where you may find a machine isn't working when you go to set up," Harrell said.

Early voting began Monday and will end May 23.

Washington County had encountered no problems with voting equipment, staffing or delays for voters, Price said.

"Everything got set up and going very smoothly," she said.

Price said the most frequent issue her poll workers had dealt with is a recurring one.

"It's ballot selection," Price said. "In every primary election, we have to explain to voters that they have to choose which party primary election they want to vote in."

Price said there is one change in voter identification requirements for this election year that could impact some voters. In past elections, if a voter was unable to show a proper photo ID, he could sign a voter statement and was able to cast a provisional ballot. Now, she said, voters who are unable to show a proper ID have to return to the county clerk's office to show legal identification or their votes will not count.

Price said the law gives voters until noon on the Monday after an election to go to the clerk's office to show an ID, but this year that Monday is Memorial Day, so the deadline is noon May 31.

Chris Bright of Bentonville said voting is a civic duty and he always votes. Bright voted Monday at the Benton County Administration Building.

Early voting is more convenient compared to the risk of long lines on Election Day, Bright said.

Diane Kuznia of Bentonville said she also believes early voting is convenient. She voted Monday and said early voting helps her avoid standing in line on Election Day.

Jennifer Swartout of Bentonville voted Monday. She said voting is a priority to her.

"Everybody should vote," she said. "Everybody should have equal and easy access to vote."

With open primaries for the governor's office and a U.S. Senate seat at the top of the ballot in Arkansas, officials said they expect voter turnout in the May 24 election to hit close to 2018 primary levels.

Early voting begins for May 24 primary election; Northwest Arkansas voters start casting their ballots | Arkansas Democrat Gazette (2024)

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