Sorting through voter registration issues ahead of election time

Sorting through voter registration issues ahead of election time

Many of you may have heard reports on recent confusion with voter registration rolls in Arkansas.

Earlier this summer, the Secretary of State’s office sent letters to county clerks across the state with names of individuals who should not be eligible to vote because he or she was convicted of a felony.

However, much of the information given to the Secretary of State’s office and later to the county clerks’ offices was incorrect. Many of the county clerks reviewed the list and found a number of people were still eligible to vote and were not felons. Some of the individuals on the list have received a pardon, some have had their convictions discharged, and some had misdemeanors that were incorrectly entered in the system. The Secretary of State’s office has now informed counties they will be sending out a corrected list soon.

I have spoken with Crittenden County clerk about this issue. She is proceeding with caution to make sure that everyone who is eligible to vote and is registered will remain on the voter registration rolls.

There is no right more precious than your right to vote. Our county clerks know this and are working hard to ensure your rights are protected.

The General Election will be held Tuesday, Nov 8. The deadline to register to vote in that election is Monday, Oct. 10. If you have previously registered to vote, there is no need to register again.

If you received a letter informing you that you have been removed from registration and feel that is in error, then call your county clerk to reinstate your voting rights.

Regardless of the recent confusion, it is always a good idea to check your registration status before the deadline. You can do this by calling the clerk’s office during normal business hours at 870-739-4434.

From State Representative Deborah Ferguson