Getting squared away with governmental entities usually requires an in-person appearance, but one chore can be accomplished online instead of standing in line.
To register to vote, newcomers can download an application from the Secretary of State’s office at votenaturally.org/registration.html, fill out the form and mail it back.
They must be 18 years old, a U.S. citizen and have lived in Arkansas for 30 days before the first election they plan to vote in. Also, convicted felons and people who have been judged mentally incompetent aren’t allowed to vote in Arkansas.
Voter registration forms also are available at Arkansas Driver Services offices, public libraries, military recruiting offices, the Arkansas National Guard, public assistance agencies and disability agencies.
Washington County Clerk Karen Combs Pritchard said she prefers for people to register in her office, because that eliminates the possibility of the form getting lost in the mail.
“The other places just give you a form, and you mail it in to the Secretary of State’s office,” Pritchard said. “Then he mails it to me, so it doesn’t come directly to me. That’s why if you come into my office, there’s no mailing of the form. There’s rarely a problem when people come in to my office to register.”
Pritchard said lines to register aren’t usually long in her office, even if it’s just a month before an election.
“You’re not registered until you get an ID card back from this office saying we have received it, your address has been verified and we have assigned you to a voting precinct,” she said. “Just because you fill out an applicaiton doesn’t mean you’re registered.”
Voters also can check their registration status online at voterview.org.
If the application is mailed, the postmark is considered the application date.
Vehicle registration
To register a motor vehicle in Arkansas, new residents must first have their personal property assessed in the county assessor’s office.
“If they need to set up an account — if they’ve never assessed here before — they need to come in to the office,” said Manna Schlund, deputy Benton County assessor.
To assess a vehicle, the new resident will need to bring the title or bill of sale.
Schlund said lines are usually short at the main assessor’s office in the county administration building at 215 E. Central Ave. in Bentonville, but that’s the only assessor’s office in Benton County that doesn’t also have a state revenue office. People often go to the other four offices so they can get their property assessed and register their car in the same location, Schlund said.
“Most people don’t come in just to assess,” said Schlund. “They assess because their tags are due.”
The other Benton County assessor’s offices, with revenue offices, are:
- 2308 S.E. 28th St. in Bentonville
- 300 W. Poplar St. in Rogers
- 108 Main St. NE in Gravette
- 707 Lincoln St. in Siloam Springs
Schlund said lines are longest in January, after many people receive renewal notices in December, and at the end of each month.
“People wait until the last minute,” she said.
Washington County has three assessor’s offices:
- The Washington County Courthouse at 280 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville
- 3159 Springdale Ave. in Springdale
- 215 S. Main Ave. in Lincoln
Each of those offices also has a state revenue office.
In addition, there is a state revenue office at 965 S. Razorback Road in Fayetteville, but there is no assessor’s office at that location. Satellite revenue offices in West Fork and Decatur are open only on Wednesdays.
Locations of offices in other counties and telephone numbers are available online at dfa.arkansas.gov/Pages/stateMap.aspx.
To register a vehicle, proof of having Arkansas insurance also is required because many states require less coverage than Arkansas.
Driver’s license
New residents can get an Arkansas driver’s license at any state revenue office.
One method is to turn over a valid license from another state in exchange for an Arkansas license, according to the state’s website at dfa.arkansas.gov/offices/driverServices/Pages/FAQ’s.aspx.
If the out-of-state license is expired for more than 31 days, written and vision examinations are required. If the out-of-state license is expired more than a year, applicants are required to take the written, vision and road tests.
Anyone seeking an Arkansas license also is required to show proof of legal residency, such as a U.S. birth certificate, military ID, naturalization certificate, passport or immigration document with photo. Two forms of identification are required, along with a Social Security number.