Secretary of State Charlie Daniels today encouraged the state’s registered voters who haven’t already voted early or absentee to go vote today in the 2010 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan Judicial General Election.
During the early voting period of May 3-17, around 125,000 Arkansans voted early or absentee.
“We’ve had a record number of early and absentee voters in this primary election, and I hope to see a strong finish today with a good number of the remaining 1.6 million registered voters heading to the polls to cast their ballots,” said Sec. Daniels. “Let me also remind voters that Arkansas has open primaries. This means that you don’t have to be registered with a political party to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary elections,” Sec. Daniels added.
Polling places are open statewide today from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. All registered voters in line by 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot. Voters may verify their polling place location, view sample ballots, check their registration, and learn more about the voting process at the Secretary of State’s one-stop election information resource: www.VoteNaturally.org.
Early Voting by the Numbers: The following is a list of early and absentee turnout numbers through the first year of statewide early voting in 1996:
2008 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan General Election
Overall turnout: 287,730 (18%)
Total registered voters (TRV): Around 1.6 million
Early and absentee votes: Around 69,000
Feb. 5, 2008 Presidential Preferential Primary (7 day early voting period)
Overall turnout: 544,170 (35%)
TRV: Around 1.57 million
Early and absentee votes: Around 70,000
2006 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan General Election
Overall turnout: Around 340,088 (22%)
TRV: Around 1.57 million
Early and absentee votes: Around 65,000
2004 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan General Election
Overall turnout: 335,016 (22%)
TRV: Around 1.55 million
Early and absentee votes: Around 59,000
2002 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan General Election
Overall turnout: 371,334 (25-26%)
TRV: Around 1.46 million
Early and absentee votes: Around 56,000
2000 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan General Election
Overall turnout: 291,473 (19%)
TRV: Around 1.53 million
Early and absentee votes: Around 36,000
1998 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan General Election
Overall turnout: 373,578 (26%)
TRV: Around 1.44 million
Early and absentee votes: Around 33,000
1996 Preferential Primary and Nonpartisan General Election
Overall turnout: 343,203 (27%)
TRV: Around 1.28 million
Early and absentee votes: Around 16,000
Source: Network of Voters in Arkansas
