How to Vote in Arkansas’ 2022 Elections

En español | Arkansas’ Nov. 8 general election will decide races for seats in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, state Senate and House, governor, secretary of state and other state executive offices, as well as several state high courts. The state’s primary was May 24, and its primary runoff election was June 21. 

Essential info:

• Absentee voting: Absentee ballots are available only to voters who can’t get to a polling site on Election Day. This includes people with an illness or physical disability, military members and others who are temporarily living  outside the country, and those who will be “unavoidably absent” from the polls on Election Day. 

• Early in-person voting: This option is available to all registered voters starting Monday, Oct. 24, for the general election. 

• In-person voting on Election Day: The state’s general election is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Poll hours are 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

What's new this year?

The legislature enacted a number of new election and voting laws in 2021. A new redistricting plan has changed the boundaries of the four U.S. congressional districts and may affect which candidates appear on your ballot. 

What races are on the ballot and who's running?

• Governor: Chris Jones (D), Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) 
• Lieutenant Governor: Kelly Krout (D), Leslie Rutledge (R) 
• U.S. Senate: incumbent John Boozman (R), Natalie James (D)
• U.S. House: all 4 seats  
• State Senate: all 35 seats, due to redistricting 
• State House: all 100 seats

How do I register to vote?

You must complete a registration form and submit it by mail or in person. You can request a registration form in several ways.

• Online: Fill out and submit a request for a voter registration application on the secretary of state’s website and an application will be mailed to you. Or download a copy of the application, which you can mail in.

• By mail: Send your completed voter registration application to your county clerk’s office for the quickest processing. Or mail the completed application to the secretary of state’s office, which will forward it to the appropriate county clerk’s office:
  
  Arkansas Secretary of State
  ATTN: Voter Registration
  P.O. Box 8111
  Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-8111

• By phone: Call your county clerk’s office to request an application. Or call the secretary of state’s Election Division at 800-482-1127 and you’ll be referred to the right office.

• In person: Pick up and fill out a registration application at your county clerk’s office. You can also pick up an application at your local DMV office, public library, disability agency or military recruitment office, then mail or drop the completed form off at your county clerk’s office.

Registration applications must be received by Tuesday, Oct. 11, to be processed in time for the general election.

Check your registration status by visiting the secretary of state’s VoterView page or by calling your county clerk’s office.

How can I get a mail-in or absentee ballot? Are there important deadlines?

Absentee ballots are available only to Arkansas voters who meet certain criteria. You may qualify if you will be “unavoidably absent” from your polling site on Election Day, can’t get to a polling site due to an illness or physical disability, are a military member (or a spouse of one) temporarily living elsewhere or are living outside the United States.

You can request an absentee-ballot application through your county clerk’s office.

• By mail: Download a copy of the application, then mail the completed form to your county clerk’s office.

• By phone or email: Request a mailed copy of the application from your county clerk’s office or call the secretary of state’s Election Division at 800-482-1127. Your completed application can be mailed, emailed or dropped off at your county clerk’s office. Though the application form says you can also fax it to the county clerk’s office, the secretary of state’s office cautions that this method is not as reliable.

• In person: Visit your county clerk’s office, where you can pick up and complete an application.

If you mail, email or fax an application for an absentee ballot, it must be received by your county clerk’s office by Tuesday, Nov. 1. If you visit your county clerk’s office in person, you can fill out an application — and complete your ballot — up until close of business the Friday before the election, or Nov. 4.

Completed absentee ballots, if hand-delivered, must be dropped off at your county clerk’s office by close of business on the Friday before the election, or Nov. 4.

Mailed ballots must be received by your county clerk’s office by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8.

For more information about absentee-voting procedures, including guidelines for authorized agents who can act on behalf of hospital patients or long-term care residents, visit the secretary of state’s website page dedicated to absentee voting.

Can I track my absentee ballot?

Yes. Visit the VoterView page to track the status of your ballot.

Can I vote in person before Election Day?

Yes. Early voting begins on Monday, Oct. 24, and ends at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7. Hours before Nov. 7 are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. In most cases you can vote early at your county clerk’s office. If other off-site locations are available, your local newspaper will publish them. Contact your county clerk’s office for details on off-site locations.

When is Election Day? When are polls open?

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Polls are open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Find your polling location on the VoterView page.

Do I need identification to vote?

Yes, in-person voters need to present a photo ID issued by the state or federal government.

Acceptable forms of identification include:

• A driver’s license
• U.S. passport
• A photo ID card
• A concealed-handgun-carry license
• An employee badge or ID document issued by an accredited postsecondary education institution in Arkansas
• A U.S. military ID document
• A public assistance ID card with a photo
• A free voter verification card, available from the secretary of state’s office or your county clerk’s office

Residents of licensed long-term care facilities are not required to show ID when voting in person; rather, they can provide documentation from their facility’s administrator proving that they live in the facility.  

If you don’t have an acceptable form of ID when you go to vote, you may only use a provisional ballot, which will not count unless you bring a proper ID to your county clerk’s office by noon the Monday following the election.

Editor’s note: This guide was updated on June 30, 2022, with information about early in-person voting. The guide was first published on Aug. 7, 2020.

Also of Interest: 

• Follow AARP's political coverage at aarp.org/elections. 
• Keep up with local events and AARP advocacy efforts at aarp.org/ar.