Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Craighead County residents who plan to vote in the March 3 Arkansas primary election must be registered by Monday, which is the deadline under state law.
Arkansas requires voters to submit a paper Voter Registration Application no later than 30 days before an election. Applications must be received by an official voter registration agency or postmarked by Monday to be valid for the March primary.
Voter registration applications are available at the Craighead County Clerk’s Office, revenue offices, public libraries, disability agencies, and military recruitment offices. Applications can also be requested by mail through the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office or printed online in either English or Spanish.
Once an application is processed, the Craighead County Clerk’s Office will mail a personalized voter registration card. Officials caution voters not to assume they are registered until that card is received, a process that can take several weeks. Voters may also check their registration status online at www.voterview.org or by contacting the county clerk’s office directly.
To register to vote in Arkansas, a person must be a U.S. citizen, an Arkansas resident, and at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. Individuals with felony convictions must have completed their sentence or received a pardon, and voters must not have been declared mentally incompetent by a court.
Applicants registering by mail must include either a valid Arkansas driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Those without either form of identification may indicate that on the application.
Arkansas law requires voters to verify their voter registration when voting by presenting a valid photo ID issued by the United States, the State of Arkansas, or an accredited Arkansas postsecondary institution. Acceptable identification includes a driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, U.S. passport, military ID, concealed handgun carry license, certain college IDs, or a voter verification card.
Voters who are unable to present valid identification on Election Day may cast a provisional ballot. To have that ballot counted, the voter must present proper identification to the Craighead County Clerk’s Office or county election officials by 12:00 noon on the Monday following the election.
Residents who have moved to Craighead County from another Arkansas county must update their registration with the county clerk before voting.
Military voters may register in person at the county clerk’s office or by using the Federal Post Card Application, which also serves as an absentee ballot request.
For voters facing the registration deadline, election officials recommend registering in person at the Craighead County Clerk’s Office to ensure eligibility for the March 3 primary election.
Early voting for the March 3 primary election begins on Tuesday, February 17.
