Arkansas Senate committee OKs bill to regulate paper ballots and hand counts

KUAR | By Hunter Field / Arkansas Advocate

A group of state senators on Thursday voted to require Arkansas counties that opt to hand count election returns to first run ballots through vote-counting machines.

Senate Bill 250 sponsor Rep. Kim Hammer (R-Benton) and state election officials said the legislation would ensure that preliminary, unofficial election results are reported quickly.

Counties would still have the flexibility to conduct official counts by hand.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-02-24/arkansas-senate-committee-oks-bill-to-regulate-paper-ballots-and-hand-counts

Wong Maye-E/AP

Workers sort absentee ballots in Kenosha, Wis.

New Arkansas legislative ethics investigation begins

KUAR | By Michael Hibblen

The Arkansas Senate Ethics Committee on Friday held its first hearing regarding an apparent complaint that has been filed. Few details are known about this latest investigation as most of the meeting happened behind closed doors.

It comes a month after two senators were sanctioned for violating reimbursement rules. Sen. Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale, acknowledged asking Sen. Mark Johnson, R-Ferndale, to add his name to a sign in sheet at an event he did not attend, enabling Clark to receive a $155 per diem. There are indications Clark may be involved in making this latest complaint.

Sen. Kim Hammer, chairman of the committee, cited a rule at the start of Friday’s meeting allowing him to call it into executive session, “as the committee members will review the documents submitted to them regarding the current petition.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-08-26/new-arkansas-legislative-ethics-investigation-begins

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

Members of the Arkansas Senate Ethics Committee at the start of a meeting Friday to consider a complaint.

Bill Eliminating Early Voting On The Day Before An Election Again Fails In Committee

By SARAH KELLOGG

A bill that would eliminate early voting in Arkansas on the Monday before an Election Day has failed in a Senate committee for a second time.

During a voice vote Tuesday, members of the Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee did not have enough yes votes to advance Senate Bill 485. It would eliminate all early voting in Arkansas on the day before both a preferential primary or general election day.

Four members of the public spoke against the bill, including Joshua Price, an election commissioner with the Pulaski County Election Commission. He addressed claims brought up in the prior hearing on the bill suggesting that poll workers needed a day off before Election Day in order to prepare.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/bill-eliminating-early-voting-day-election-again-fails-committee

Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, again presents Senate Bill 485, to the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee.

CREDIT ARKANSAS SENATE

Bill Eliminating Voting The Monday Before An Election Day Fails In Committee

By SARAH KELLOGG

A bill that would have eliminated the ability for Arkansans to early vote the day before Election Day failed to advance a Senate committee on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 485 would modify the early voting period for primary and general elections to where it ends at 4 p.m. the Saturday before Election Day as opposed to 5 p.m. the Monday before Election Day. 

In presenting the bill to the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee, Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, framed it as an opportunity to give election staff a day to prepare for Election Day. He also said Arkansans would be able to vote on any other day of early voting if they wanted to.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/bill-eliminating-voting-monday-election-day-fails-committee

Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, presented numerous bills regarding voting to the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

CREDIT ARKANSAS SENATE