Groups push for hand counting ballots across Arkansas

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

In Arkansas, machines count votes. But, there’s been a recent statewide push to count votes by hand for each election.

Col. Conrad Reynolds thinks Arkansas voting machines could be flipping votes.

“I believe 100% that we have no way of knowing, the way our current system is, whether our vote counted or not,” he said.

He doesn't know exactly why or exactly how. He doesn't even blame local election officials, but he is suspicious of ES&S, the company that makes the machines. He also thinks voting machines could explain why more members of the far-right Freedom Caucus are not in elected positions in Arkansas.

Groups push for hand counting ballots across Arkansas

Voting Machine - Flickr Image

Arkansas lawmakers refer hand-count ballot petitioners to ethics committee

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A failed petition to ban voting machines in Saline County has been referred to an ethics committee after issues were found with the way signatures for the petition were collected. Members of the Arkansas Legislature made the decision Monday at a Joint Performance Review Committee Meeting.

To put a local ordinance on the ballot in Saline County, in this election cycle, you need 5,590 validated signatures. A group called Restore Election Integrity Arkansas says they collected thousands of signatures from locals to put their measure on the ballot.

The ballot measure would have mandated votes in the county be made without a machine and counted by hand. Restore Election Integrity Arkansas is led in part by Col. Conrad Reynolds, who told Little Rock Public Radio before that he does not trust voting machines.

Arkansas lawmakers refer hand-count ballot petitioners to ethics committee

Voting Machine - Flickr Image

Arkansas AG rejects proposed measure to conduct elections via hand-marked paper ballots

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on Wednesday rejected two proposed constitutional amendments to remove voting machines from Arkansas’ election process.

One proposal would require hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots, while the other would create absentee ballot procedures.

Griffin cited several reasons for rejecting the proposed popular name and ballot title of both initiatives, including a lengthy popular name, “partisan coloring language” and ambiguities.

Arkansas AG rejects proposed measure to conduct elections via hand-marked paper ballots

Carrie Jung/KJZZ

Mock ballots used to test tabulation machines at the Maricopa County Ballot Tabulation Center in Phoenix.