BENTONVILLE — Benton County election officials hope to avoid getting into the business of issuing voter identification, if that's possible under a law passed in the 2013 session of the Legislature.
Russ Anzalone, a member of the Election Commission, said Tuesday the state could issue voter IDs by using equipment in place at revenue offices to issue driver’s licenses rather than shifting the task to county clerks across the state.
“They have a DMV office in every county, right?” Anzalone asked, during a discussion of the law he said includes a provision the state will provide county clerks with equipment needed to produce voter identification. “They have a machine in every county. We’re talking about another additional expense.”
Tena O’Brien, Benton County clerk, said she would also prefer the state issue voter IDs.
“I would rather see the state provide these IDs if it’s mandatory,” O’Brien said.
Robbyn Tumey, another member of the Election Commission, said the voter identification law will likely face a court challenge before it takes effect in 2014.
“I think it’s going to go to the Supreme Court,” Tumey said.
Anzalone said he wants the county to explore ways to have the voter identification handled by the state, regardless of the prospects of a legal challenge. John Brown Jr., commission chairman, said he will raise the issue at a meeting of the state Board of Election Commission in August.
The commissioners also discussed plans for the county’s 2014 election year and the budget they would like to present to the Quorum Court. Items on the commission’s possible budget include software to program ballots rather than having to have the work done elsewhere, new machines for counting paper ballots and electronic poll books to help set up “super sites” for election day voting and ease congestion and lines for voters in the precinct-level polling places.
Super sites would allow voters from any part of the county to cast their ballot at that location, rather than the traditional precinct-level polling place. Super sites would provide voting by electronic ballots only, according to Kim Dennison, county election coordinator. Tumey said she will work on a presentation for the commission to make before the Quorum Court when the budget is being considered.