October 2020
Early Voting Starts Today in Arkansas
Make Your Plan To Stay Safe
Early voting started today in Arkansas. Bring your photo ID to the polls and a plan to stay safe.

What does a plan to stay safe during a pandemic look like? 

Check out our blog post for tips to staying safe while voting in-person or keep reading.

Tips For Making A Voting Plan: 

  • Identify the best time of day for you to vote. Check with your county clerk the hours for early voting in your community and consider stopping by during off-peak times. 

  • Not feeling well? There’s still time to request an absentee ballot from your county clerk if you don’t think you’ll make it to the polls during early voting or on election day. 
 
  • Know what photo ID you want to bring. If you don’t have valid photo identification, contact your county clerk for information on how to obtain a free one for voting. 
 
  • Decide what you will wear. Wearing a mask is not required to vote but they are strongly encouraged. Some people may also want to wear eye protection or gloves. 
 
  • Determine your voting choices ahead of time. Look at your sample ballot at www.voterview.ar-nova.org and write down your decisions. Going in prepared to cast your ballot can reduce how long you’re inside your voting location. 
 
  • Prepare yourself before getting out of the car. Have your mask on and ID ready before getting into line.  
 
  • Plan to wait and practice social distancing once in line. Follow polling place signage on where to stand. 

  • Bring your own stylus or black pen. The state has purchased disposable styluses for electronic voting machines but if you have one already, bring it just in case. 
 
  • Use hand sanitizer after voting if available to you.  

  • Wash your hands as soon as possible after leaving your voting location and avoid touching your face until you do so. 
Download Ballot Issue Voter Guide
Voters now have two ways of reading the 2020 Arkansas Ballot Issue Voter Guide: online or in print.

County Extension offices across the state have a limited number of ballot issue guides available for pickup. Contact your Extension Office today for information about where to pick up a copy. Or go to www.uaex.edu/ballot to download.





Or watch our summaries now in these YouTube videos:
Issue 1
Popular name: An amendment to the Arkansas Constitution continuing a one-half percent (0.5%) sales and use tax for state highways and bridges; county roads, bridges and other surface transportation; and city streets, bridges, and other surface transportation after the retirement of the bonds authorized in Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 91.
Issue 2
Popular name: A constitutional amendment to amend the term limits applicable to members of the General Assembly, to be known as the “Arkansas Term Limits Amendment”
Issue 3
Popular name: A constitutional amendment to amend the process for the submission, challenge, and approval of proposed initiated acts, constitutional amendments, and referenda
In the Courts
The Arkansas Supreme Court rejected efforts to remove Issue 2 and Issue 3 from the ballot with their opinion issued Oct. 15. Opponents had challenged the two proposed constitutional amendments from the legislature over the ballot titles. They believed the titles lacked enough information for voters to know what they were deciding, and that Issue 3 had too many unrelated components.

The court dismissed the lawsuit, deciding to uphold a Pulaski County Circuit Court judge's earlier decision that found no issues with the titles.


One lawsuit remains challenging the two issues. The case brought by Andrew Kimbrell argues that standards for ballot titles should be changed because not as many people read newspapers where they are published ahead of time as a notice to voters. Attorneys for Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston have asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
Take Our Survey
Did our ballot issue education materials help you? Do you have some feedback on how our materials can be improved?


The Public Policy Center has published neutral fact sheets on statewide issues since 2004 to help voters better understand what is being asked of them. The voter guide includes how the proposals will appear on the ballot, what a FOR or AGAINST vote means, and statements from issue supporters and opponents.
#ARballot
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service
2301 S. University Ave., Little Rock, AR 72204
501-671-2160 | Publicpolicycenter@uaex.edu | uaex.edu/ballot