BENTONVILLE — Early voting ended Monday with the number of votes cast more than doubling the 2008 presidential primary.
“Everything has been smooth,” Benton County Clerk Tena O’Brien said. “There’s been no bad news with early voting.”
More than 8,100 county residents voted early, O’Brien said. More than 1,630 people voted Monday at locations in Bentonville, Rogers and Siloam Springs, O’Brien said. More than 400 people voted at the Bentonville office around lunchtime.
A little more than 3,800 people voted during the early period for the last presidential primary, O’Brien said.
Jack Ennis of Bella Vista voted Monday.
“It’s just easier and there’s no hassles,” Ennis said. “The people are more friendly and easy going and are not stressed out like the ones on election day.”
Jim Reeves voted early Monday to avoid long lines at his polling location today.
“When you vote at the church you usually have to stand in line,” Reeves said. “There was no line here.”
Benton County Election Commissioner Bill Williams said the commission was pleased with the early voting turnout.
“It’s clear that folks had made their minds up,” Williams said. “We got some hotly contested races, and people knew how they were voting.”
Williams and O’Brien expect a heavy turnout for today’s primary elections.