Arkansas

Welcome to the Arkansas state page! Here, Arkansas organizers can access and document ongoing projects, current leadership positions, upcoming races, and other important information. This list is non-exhaustive, and state teams are encouraged to expand and adapt these pages to their organizing needs.

Registering to Vote:

You can registered to vote in the state of Arkansas if you are

• a naturalized U.S. citizen,
• at least 18 years old,
• is an Arkansas resident,
• is not a felon who has not discharged their sentences,
• has not been determined to be mentally incompetent,

* Anyone who is a naturalized citizen meeting these requirements may vote if they have registered at least 30 days before the election.

Where May I Obtain a Voter Registration Application?

• Your local county clerk.
• The Arkansas Secretary of State Elections Division: 1-800-482-1127.
• Local revenue or DMV office.
• Public library.
• Disability agency.
• Military recruitment office.
• Online Request Form:
  • Request an application through the mail (USPS).

The deadline to register to vote is:

Mail: postmarked 30 days before the election.

In person: 30 days before the election.

Online: Arkansas does not offer online voter registration.

ID requirements

ID is required to vote in Arkansas. Valid forms of ID include:

- Driver’s license

- Photo ID card

- Concealed handgun carry license

- United States passport

- An employee badge or identification document issued by an accredited postsecondary educational institution in Arkansas

- United States Military identification document

- A public assistance identification card if the card shows a photograph of the person to whom the document or identification card was issued

- A voter identification card issued by the Secretary of State

If you do not have one of the documents in the list above, learn how to obtain a free Arkansas ID from Vote Riders opens a new window

Early Voting

You can vote early in Arkansas beginning 15 days before a preferential primary or general election, all other elections, including the general primary and general runoff, seven days before the election.

The last day to vote early varies by election type. Early voting is open from 8am-6pm Monday to Friday and 10am-4pm on Saturday. Early voting ends on Monday on 5pm.

Mail-In Voting

You need an excuse to vote-by-mail in the state of Arkansas. One of the excuses could be:

• Voters must provide an approved excuse to vote absentee in Arkansas. You can vote absentee if you:
• Will be unavoidably absent from your polling site on election day, OR
• Will be unable to attend your polling site on election day due to illness or physical disability,
• Will be prevented from voting due to observance of a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire twelve (12) hours that the polls are open on election day, OR
• Are a member of the Uniformed Services, merchant marines or the spouse or a dependent family member and are away from your polling location due to the member’s active duty status, OR
• Are a U.S. citizen whose residence is in Arkansas but is temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States

What is the deadline to request a ballot?

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is:

By mail: Received by election officials 7 days before the election.

Online: Absentee ballots cannot be requested online in Arkansas.

In person: the Friday before the election.

Make sure to request your ballot as soon as possible- don’t wait until the deadline!

To return the ballot it could be by these methods:

• In Person: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election.
• By Designated Bearer or Administrator: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election.
  • (Designated Bearer is anyone you choose to pick up and/or deliver your application or ballot).
• By Mail or by Electronic Means: by 7 days before the election.
• By Authorized Agent: 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.

Deadline for Delivery of Voted Ballot to County Clerk:

• In Person: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election.
• By Designated Bearer: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election.
• By Mail: received at clerks office by 7:30 p.m. ON election day
• By Authorized Agent: by 7:30 p.m. ON election day

There are no drop off boxes for mail in ballots for Arkansas