How to Complete Your Absentee Ballot
I Requested My Absentee Ballot
— What Happens Next?
The county clerk will verify from your absentee ballot application that you are a registered voter, and all information on your application is accurate and matches your registration. When absentee ballots are ready to be sent out for the requested election, the ballot will be mailed to you.
Your Absentee Ballot Arrives!
Absentee voters will receive a large envelope addressed to the voter from the county clerk containing the following items:
A) Ballot Only envelope—where you will put your ballot form after you’ve marked your votes on it (put nothing else in this envelope)
B) Voter Statement with instructions—this must be completed by the voter and returned. VERY IMPORTANT!
C) An unmarked paper ballot
D) Return Envelope—pre-addressed to the county clerk
2. Research Your Ballot
You’ve got plenty of time to research the candidates and issues, and mark your ballot with confidence.
If you’re in Pulaski County, go to “What’s on My Ballot?” for links.
For info on Ballot Issues, go HERE.
To look up other candidate info, just Google each candidates’ name for their webpage or FB page.
3. Complete Your Ballot
Instructions for returning materials are on the Voter Statement.
The following items must be included in the return envelope:
A) Completed Voter Statement
B) Copy of photo ID (or sign the Optional Verification of Identity certifying you are registered). Go here for Washington County’s helpful “Voter ID Breakdown on Absentee Voting”.
C) Completed ballot in “Ballot Only” envelope, sealed
If it is incomplete, incorrect, or unsigned by the voter, it might not be counted.
Unfortunately, in Arkansas, if there are any errors on your ballot that cause the ballot not to be counted, there is no opportunity to fix those errors.
4. Return Your Ballot to Your County Clerk
That’s it! Put those 3 items into the RETURN envelope, and it’s ready to return. You have 3 options:
A) hand-deliver it to your county clerk by the deadline.
Are you in Pulaski County? Then you can “drive through” 2nd Street between Spring & Broadway, and drop your ballot off at the County Courthouse.
B) designate a bearer to hand-deliver it for you by Election Day, December 1.
C) If you MUST mail your ballot, do it ASAP! It’s 3 stamps for Pulaski County, but your county may be different — check the instructions.
—
Return your absentee ballot
IN PERSON,
if at all possible!
—
Deliver to the address printed on your return envelope.
Step by step instructions from the Pulaski Co Circuit and County Clerk
How to complete and mail your absentee ballot, from GoVoteAR.org
If you’d like a printable copy of this voter guide, click on the button below.
“How to Return Your Arkansas Absentee Ballot”
Click here for a
printable PDF of
this absentee guide
Congratulations,
you have voted!
How Are Absentee Ballots Counted?
When the county clerk receives the packets containing absentee ballot materials, the voter’s record is updated to show that they voted.
The unopened “Ballot Only” envelopes are deposited into a sealed ballot box.
The box (or boxes) remains secure and under seal until delivered to the county board of election commissioners to begin the vote-counting canvass.
All absentee ballots are counted anonymously on election day.
How Can I Know for Sure My Absentee Ballot Was Received?
Visit voterview.org.
Enter your name and birthdate, and the site will confirm whether your ballot has been received by your county clerk.
Don’t see that it’s been received?
Call your county clerk ASAP!
How Can I Be Sure My Absentee Ballot Was Counted?
Ballots in Arkansas are not counted until the polls close on Tuesday, November 3rd.
Since ballots are counted after the polls close, their status will be updated on Voterview.org.
