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    Protecting Election 2020 from Covid-19: A Toolkit for Arkansas Activists

    If the Covid-19 pandemic continues into November, we will need to change our election practices to make sure voters don’t have to choose between their health and their right to vote. We have the solutions to make our elections both safe and accessible to all. And with this toolkit, you will know what reforms your state needs and where to focus your efforts.

    Last Updated: August 18, 2020
    Published: August 18, 2020

    This is part of the Brennan Center’s Toolkits for Activists Across the Nation.

    Jump to a section: 
    Political Context  |  What’s in Place and What’s Needed  |  Key Dates

    Administering an election under pandemic conditions requires undertaking steps to keep voting accessible, safe, and secure. The guide below lays out the problems Covid-19 poses, what preparedness measures Arkansas has, and what changes are still needed. But first, we offer some political context for your advocacy.

    Advocacy Focus: Local Reform

    Local officials have a lot of responsibility over elections. They are a great place to focus advocacy efforts. Though state officials can make any of the changes in this toolkit, we highlight some examples of changes that local elections officials can also make with this symbol:🔸

    Political Context

    Below is a list of the relevant officials and information about the legislative session.

    Governor: Asa Hutchinson (R)  

    Secretary of State: John Thurston (R)

    Legislature: House (R) Senate (R)

    Legislative Session: The legislature last adjourned on April 24, 2020. Only the governor can call a special legislative session.

    Local Elections Officials: In Arkansas, county clerks share responsibilities for administering elections. You can look up individual county clerks here.

    What Arkansas Has and What’s Needed

    Three priorities. There are three key areas where we need to shore up our elections systems for success during a pandemic: registration, mail voting, and in-person voting.

    Registration

    Covid-19 may disrupt the traditional ways Americans register to vote, like get out the vote drives or registering at government agencies. In the crucial weeks before the registration deadline, postal service disruptions may lead many registration forms to arrive at election offices after the deadline.

    Changes Still Needed:

    • Prepare to extend mail voter registration deadlines based on conditions in the state
    • Online voter registration
    • Voter registration on Election Day

    Voting by Mail

    Because of Covid-19, long lines and crowds at the polls pose health risks not seen in previous elections. Allowing every citizen to vote by mail reduces the number of people at the polls on Election Day and decreases the exposure risk to Covid-19.

    Preparatory Measures Arkansas Already Has Taken:

    • All voters can vote by mail without an excuse
    • No notary or witness requirement for return of mail ballot

    Changes Still Needed:

    • Online tool for requesting an absentee ballot
    • Eliminate ID requirement to vote by mail
    • Provide pre-paid postage for voting by mail
    • Accept late-arriving ballots postmarked by Election Day
    • Provide post-election notice and cure opportunity for defects on absentee-ballot envelope, including signature mismatch or missing signatures
    • Send absentee-ballot application to all voters who have not applied

    In-Person Voting

    Even with expanded mail voting opportunity, states cannot close polling places. To do so may disenfranchise voters without Internet and mail access, or those who do not wish to cast a ballot by mail. In-person voting must be done in accordance with health guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

    Preparatory Measures Arkansas Already Has Taken:

    • In-person early voting
    • Vote centers on election day

    Changes Still Needed:

    • Ensure sufficient polling places are open and resourced on Election Day🔸
    • Open more in-person early voting locations🔸
    • Establish additional vote centers for Election Day🔸
    • Take proper public health precautions to ensure safe polling places🔸
    • Hold training sessions for polling-place workers well in advance of Election Day, so that election officials can better anticipate problems with staffing and logistics🔸
    • Increase access to curbside voting at polling locations

    Advocacy Focus: Protecting Polling Places

    No matter how prepared Arkansas is as a matter of policy, elections officials and advocates must stay vigilant about ensuring safe, healthy in-person voting is an option for everyone all the way through Election Day. Here are some important things to know about who makes decisions about polling places in Arkansas and what rules govern the process:

    • Within 60 days of the election, new or altered precincts are allowed only in the event of an emergency as determined by unanimous vote of the county boards of election commissioners.🔸
    • Polling places shall be the same as those established for the immediately preceding general election, absent an order by a county board of election commissioners otherwise. Changes are not allowed within 30 days of an election except in the event of an emergency, and provided notice requirements are followed.🔸

    Key Dates for Arkansas Elections

    • October 5, 2020: Deadline to register to vote for the General Election
    • October 19, 2020: First day of early voting for the General Election
    • October 27, 2020: Deadline for submitting a General Election absentee-ballot application by mail or by electronic means
    • November 2, 2020: Last day of early voting for the General Election
    • November 3, 2020: General Election Day