Frequently Asked Questions

No. You may not fax or email a ballot.

UOCAVA voters must vote their ballot by Election Day, and it must be received by their county clerk by 5:00 p.m. 10 days after the election.

The term “UOCAVA” refers to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. A UOCAVA voter is a military or overseas citizen and their spouse. Please visit our Military and Overseas Voting page for more information.

Must be received at clerk’s office by 7:30 p.m. ON election day.

-You may NOT fax or email a ballot.

-UOCAVA voters must vote their ballot by Election Day, and it must be received by their county clerk by 5:00 p.m. 10 days after the election.

Click here to learn more on UOCAVA.

By 7:30 p.m. on election day.

By 7:30 p.m. on election day.

No deadline is specified in Arkansas law. You should base your ballot pick-up on the ability to return it to the County Clerk on time.

No earlier than 15 days before a preferential primary election, general election, school election, or special election and no earlier than seven days before a runoff election.

By 1:30 p.m. ON election day. The authorized agent must file with the County Clerk an affidavit from the administrative head of a hospital or nursing home located in this state verifying that the applicant is a patient of the hospital or long-term care or residential care facility licensed by the state and is thereby unable to vote on the election day at his or her regular polling site.

Mentions “Authorized Agent” here. Can we define?

By seven days before the election. “Electronic means” refers to email or fax.

An Authorized Agent is a person authorized to deliver an application, obtain a ballot, and return a voted ballot for a voter that is medically unable to vote in person. An affidavit from an administrator of a hospital or long-term care facility is needed for this.

An Administrator is the administrative head of a long-term care or residential care facility.

A Designated Bearer is anyone you choose to pick up or deliver your official ballot.

By the close of business the day before the election

Mentions “Administrator” here. Can we define?

For more information on Designated Bearer, visit the Absentee Voting page.

By the close of the business day before the election.

To be qualified to vote an absentee ballot, you must meet one of the following criteria:

- You will be unavoidably absent from your polling site on election day, OR

- You will be unable to attend your polling site on election day due to illness or physical disability, OR

- You are a member of the Uniformed Services, merchant marines or the spouse or a dependant family member and are away from your polling location due to the member’s active duty status, OR

- You are a U.S. citizen whose residence is in Arkansas but is temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States.

Option 1: Request to have an absentee ballot application sent to you by contacting your county clerk in the county where you are registered to vote.

Option 2: Download and complete an absentee ballot application, then return this application to the county clerk in the county where you are registered to vote.
www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/elections/Absentee_Ballot_Application_1.pdf

County Clerk Contact Information

How to Complete the Absentee Ballot Application
www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/elections/How_to_Complete_the_Absentee_Ballot_Application_-_Rev._10-2020_.pdf

Please contact your county clerk with any questions about voting absentee in your county.
www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/elections/County_Clerk_Contact_List_-_Rev._8-19-2020_.pdf

Example: “I’ve been transferred, and most of the instructions refer to my legal voting residence and my county of residence.”

For voting purposes, your residence can be either the place you last resided before entering service, or it can be your new legal residence. Military and family members may change their legal residence each time they change permanent duty stations, or they may choose to retain their original residence. A valid street address - even your former address - is required to be sure you are voting in the correct precinct. P.O. Boxes are not allowed. Consult a legal officer before changing residence, because other factors besides voting must be considered.

Contact your county clerk. If you have access to a computer, email the Elections Division of the Arkansas Secretary of State at: electionsemail@sos.arkansas.gov. If you are a military or overseas citizen, you may also visit the website of the Federal Voting Assistance Program at (www.fvap.gov), which provides information for servicemen and women overseas. The FVAP also helps all military personnel with access to a DSN phone. Dial toll-free DSN 425-1584.

Yes, anyone may distribute these applications. Applications for Absentee Ballots are available from your local county clerk.