BENTONVILLE — With deadlines to meet, Benton County election officials approved the ballot for the Nov. 6 general election Monday, but expressed concern about possible delays and confusion generated by the number of ballot measures.
The ballot county voters will see in November will contain a pair of casino gambling measures and the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, along with several state and local questions, including the county’s wet-dry issue.
John Brown Jr., chairman of the Election Commission, said the timeline for getting ballots approved and mailed to overseas voters and prepared for the county’s electronic voting machines makes it impossible to have the ballots reflect the final disposition of the ballot questions.
The state Supreme Court last week ruled against a ballot question that would have allowed building seven casinos in the state and arguments are pending on the second gambling proposal.
Brown said he hopes voters will stay informed on the issues, which would minimize confusion and questions on Election Day.
“At this late date, we can’t take them off the ballot,” Brown said, adding the commission may consider posting notices at polling places listing any ballot issues struck down.
Robbyn Tumey, a commissioner, said she’s concerned the lengthy ballot will cause delays in voting on election day. She said the commission staff should do a simulation of the time needed to read through the ballot and vote once the voting machines are programmed for the November election.
Russ Anzalone, a commissioner, said voters need to read the ballots carefully on the issues, pointing to the referendum on a Bella Vista zoning ordinance.
The commission also approved the early voting location and the single Election Day polling place for the Oct. 9 runoff for the Zone 3 seat on the Bentonville School Board. Grant Lightle and Kim Mertes face each other in the runoff. Mertes is a member of the current board.
Voters in Zone 3 will be able to cast ballots in the early voting period at the Benton County Clerk’s office at the County Administration Building, 215 E. Central Ave. in Bentonville. Early voting begins Oct. 2 and ends Oct. 8, with voting hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On election day, votes will be cast at the Bentonville Church of Christ, 811 N. Walton Blvd., from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.