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Committee rejects ban on Monday-before-election early voting after hours of testimony
Summary
Senators debated and ultimately rejected SB485, which would have eliminated the Monday-before-election early-voting day; proponents cited administrative burdens and ballot-curing needs, while clerks, county officials and civic groups warned it would remove meaningful access for thousands of voters.
The Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday considered SB485, a bill that would remove the traditional Monday-before-election as an early in-person voting day in Arkansas. Sponsors argued the change would give election administrators a full day to process absentee ballots, cure irregularities and prepare polling equipment; opponents warned it would reduce access for working and historically underserved voters.
Senator Lance Hammer presented committee handouts and National Conference of State Legislatures data showing variation among states in early-voting schedules and argued there is ample capacity across other early-voting days to absorb…
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