Early and absentee voting, which is currently underway in Arkansas, allows a registered voter to cast their ballot before the May 24 Primary Election in person or by mail. A type of early voting, instead of voting in person at a early voting center, absentee voters cast their ballots by mail under certain conditions, as explained by Baxter County and Circuit Clerk Canda Reese.
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Early and absentee voting continues to grow in popularity across the country. During the 2020 Presidential Election early voting doubled to 94% from 47% during the previous election in 2016, according to statistics.com. Reese says during the pandemic, voting by absentee ballot became especially popular, a trend that was seen in Baxter County.
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Absentee ballots are obtained by written request, mail or email, through the County Clerk’s Office. The absentee ballot and paperwork can be mailed to the voter or picked up by proxy, an individual appointed by the person requesting the absentee ballot.
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As with in-person and early voting, the absentee voter must present valid identification. Reese emphasizes the voter send photo copies of their IDs, not the the original ID when requesting absentee ballots.
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The county clerk’s office can provide those without a photo ID with proper identification that can be used for voting purposes only.
The deadline to return a completed absentee ballot request by mail, fax or email to the county clerk’s office is May 17. The deadline to pick up and return the completed application and ballot in-person or by designated representative to the county clerk is May 20. All absentee ballots sent by mail must be returned to the county clerk’s office by Election Day, May 24.
Anyone with questions regarding voting may contact their local county clerk or go online to sos.arkansas.gov under the tab “Election Information for Voters.”
Local county clerk’s offices include the Baxter County Clerk at 1 East 7th Street, Suite 103, Mountain Home, phone 870-425-3475; Fulton County Clerk at 123 N. Main Street, Salem, 870-895-3310; Marion County Clerk at 300 East Old Main Street, Yellville, 870-449-6226; and Izard County Clerk at 80 East Main Street, Melbourne, 870-368-4316.
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