Sec. Daniels Announces Preliminary Early and Absentee Turnout
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Daniels also encourages Arkansans to exercise right to vote today
(LITTLE ROCK, AR)—Secretary of State Charlie Daniels today announced the preliminary early and absentee turnout for the 2008 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan Judicial General Election to be around 4% of the state’s 1.6 million registered voters.
During the early voting period of May 5-19, around 58,000 Arkansans voted early and about 11,000 requested absentee ballots.
Secretary Daniels today urged all of Arkansas’s registered voters who were not able to early vote to get out and vote at their regular polling place today.
“I hope the state’s registered voters will head to their polling places today to exercise their right to vote,” Daniels said. “We had a strong turnout in February for the presidential primary, and I would like to see the trend of increased voter participation continue.”
Polling places are open statewide today from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. All registered voters in line by 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot. Voters may verify their polling place location at www.votenaturally.org or by calling the Secretary of State’s Election Division at (800) 482-1127.
Nearly 35% of the state’s registered voters turned out to vote in the February 5 Presidential Preferential Primary, with around 70,000 voting early and absentee. In the 2004 Preferential Primary Election turnout was 22% with around 59,000 voting early and absentee. Turnout was at a record-low in 2000’s primary at 19% with only around 36,000 voting early and absentee.
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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
