During the 2025 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed several new laws aimed at strengthening election procedures.

One significant change comes through Act 978. This act requires county boards of election commissioners to provide early voting in every city with a population over 15,000 if the county clerk is not already doing so.

Act 282 further clarifies how early voting locations are established. It confirms that county election boards may designate additional early voting locations for each election, while the county clerk maintains the authority to designate the early voting site located within the county seat. These updates provide clarity and consistency across counties.

In addition to voting procedures, the legislature addressed the petition process. Act 274 mandates that a signer must read the petition ballot title in the presence of a canvasser.

Act 218 requires canvassers to inform potential petitioners that petition fraud is classified as a class A misdemeanor.

Act 115 aligns the rules for paid canvassers in local option elections with those for statewide elections.

Act 240 requires canvassers to view a copy of a potential petitioner's photo identification before collecting a signature.

Act 272 requires the Secretary of State to post all approved ballot titles and the full text of proposed measures on their website.

Finally, Act 991 simplifies and aligns procedures for municipal elections. It repeals the old runoff process for municipal offices and ensures that runoff elections are now conducted in the same manner as those for county offices. This change streamlines the process and reduces confusion among voters and election officials alike.

The House will continue reviewing election procedures to help ensure our elections are secure and voting rights are protected.

https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/elections/Voter_Reg_App._8-2023_.pdf

https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/elections/2026_Election_Calendar_Rev._6-2025_.pdf