FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County's Election Commission may ask the Quorum Court for the money needed to open six early polling places in November's election. The number would triple the early voting sites the county opened during the 2012 election.
About a third of the votes cast in 2012 were cast early, election coordinator Jennifer Price told the commission during its meeting Wednesday. Other counties' experience suggests that number will only rise with more sites.
Early voting begins Oct. 20.
The panel's three commissioners largely agreed to five locations: one near Prairie Grove City Hall, the Rodeo Community Center and Arvest Ballpark in Springdale and the county courthouse and Medical Arts Pharmacy in Fayetteville.
The commission will meet today to decide on the sixth. Price said the commission could choose between the county fairgrounds, near Interstate 49 and Garland Avenue, and the Fayetteville Boys & Girls Club, near West Wedington Drive.
Price planned to meet with club staff Wednesday about its potential as a location, so commissioners delayed decisions. Simply going with both locations, bringing the total to seven instead of six, could strain the county's polling resources and be overkill for a midterm election, Price said.
Either site would be justified, she said. Both are well-known and host several other events, giving the county many chances to drum up awareness for early voting there.
Altogether, the commission will likely ask for about $31,000 to pay for the increase, Price said.
NW News on 07/25/2014