The state Board of Election Commissioners voted Monday to send an election monitor to Jefferson County to observe the counting and processing of absentee ballots.

The board agreed to heed requests for an election monitor from Jefferson County clerk candidate Christian Trey Ashcraft, who is challenging County Clerk Patricia Royal-Johnson in today's Democratic primary, and from Pine Bluff Alderman Bill Brumett. The board received Ashcraft and Brumett's requests Friday, according to board records.

But the board declined to approve Jefferson County Judge Dutch King's request for the board to send an election monitor to observe absentee ballot counting in four precincts in Jefferson County. A motion by board member Charles Roberts of Rison to approve King's request died because the motion wasn't seconded by another board member.

In today's Democratic primary, King faces a challenge from Ivan Whitfield, who narrowly lost a runoff to King two years ago.

The board received King's request Monday, according to board records. Unlike Ashcraft and Brumett, King submitted his request by letter and didn't use the board's election monitor request form, which requires the person requesting the monitor to sign the document and declare the information in it to be true and correct to the best of his knowledge under the penalty of perjury, board director Justin Clay said.

All three requests for an election monitor in Jefferson County "all seem to have to do with absentee ballot processing," Clay told the board.

Board member Chad Pekron of Little Rock said there is a need for an election monitor for absentee voting in Jefferson County based on the information that he reviewed.

Pekron said he's not sure why King requested an election monitor to observe absentee vote counting in four particular precincts.

Board member Stuart "Stu" Soffer of White Hall, who also serves on the Jefferson County Election Commission as a Republican, said he recused himself from the state board's decisions on the three requests for an election monitor in Jefferson County.

Soffer, after being asked to speak by Roberts, told the board that he has been contacted by several candidates who worry that the two other election commissioners in Jefferson County "will continue their ignoring [of] the election laws of Arkansas, despite objections," when they count absentee ballots.

The two other commissioners are Theodis "Ted" Davis and Cynthia Sims, who are Democrats.

Soffer said sending an election monitor to the Jefferson County for the absentee-ballot counting and the Jefferson County Election Commission meeting "when we decide on the questionable absentee ballots would go a long way to instilling a little bit of confidence in the candidates and voters of Jefferson County about the fairness of the process."

Soffer later provided reporters with a complaint that he's filed with prosecuting attorney Kyle Hunter of Pine Bluff against Royal-Johnson alleging malfeasance in an elected official by disregarding state election law, saying she "again failed to ensure her staff followed absentee ballot and voter registration procedures."

Royal-Johnson said she hasn't seen a copy of the complaint and "I can't comment about something I don't know anything about."

She said she has followed state election law "as far as I know."

Davis described Soffer's remarks about Davis and Sims as "just political shenanigans."

He said Soffer's allegations are "totally unfounded."

Hunter could not be reached for comment by telephone Monday afternoon.

Metro on 05/20/2014