SECRETARY DANIELS OUTLINES VOTING PROCESS FOR AR’S FEBRUARY 5th PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008
(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.)—Secretary of State Charlie Daniels today outlined the process for voting in the state’s February 5th Presidential Preferential Primary Election.
“Arkansans should be aware of the process for participating in this new statewide election, which is already underway with absentee voting,” said Secretary Daniels. “I hope all eligible voters in the state will familiarize themselves with their rights and responsibilities in exercising their franchise in this Presidential Primary.”
The following are some important points to remember when preparing to participate in the Arkansas Presidential Preferential Primary Election:
REGISTRATION
New voters must have completed an Arkansas Voter Registration Application by the January 7, 2008 deadline to participate in this election. Voter registration information can be verified online at www.voterview.org. If any information is out of date or incorrect, voters need to notify their county clerk’s office.
In 2007, the state legislature passed a law allowing for county-to-county transfer of voter registrations up to four days before the election. The deadline for transferring one’s voter registration for this election is
February 1st, 2008.
PARTY PREFERENCE
The Presidential Preferential Primary is an open primary election just like the statewide primary election on May 20th, 2008. So, while voters are given the option of listing a party affiliation on their voter registration, they may vote in any party’s primary election.
BALLOT CHOICE
Voters will have a choice of three different ballots in this election. Below are the candidates certified to be on each party’s ballot:
Democratic Party: Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Christopher J. Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis J. Kucinich, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson.
Green Party: Jared A. Ball, Cynthia McKinney, Kent Mesplay, and Kat Swift.
Republican Party: Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson.
ABSENTEE VOTING
Voters who will be unavoidably absent from the polls on Election Day may request absentee ballots from their county clerks. It is important to include a party preference in this application so that the clerks will know which party ballots to mail. The clerk must receive the mailed absentee ballot request application by
January 29th, 2008. Voters must mail back their ballot by Election Day, which is
February 5th, 2008.
EARLY VOTING
Each county will provide at least one early voting location (usually the county courthouse), and some offer additional satellite locations. Early voting for this election will be available from
Tuesday, January 29th - Monday, February 4th, 2008 during regular business hours.
AT THE POLLS VOTING
The Presidential Preferential Primary Election will take place on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008. Polls are open statewide from
7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
For more information on Arkansas’s voting process, visit www.votenaturally.org.
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Contact: Natasha Naragon
Phone: (501) 683-1441
Email: natasha.naragon@sos.arkansas.gov
Arkansas Secretary of State Charlie Daniels
256 State Capitol Building
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Phone: (501) 682-1010
Website: www.sos.ar.gov
Email: arsos@sos.ar.gov
