Election officials see early vote increase

BENTONVILLE -- Election officials say the first week of early voting for the March 1 primary election has set records for voter participation.

In Benton County, according to the County Clerk's Office, 4,510 people cast ballots in the first four days of early voting, from Feb. 16 through Feb. 19. That is more than the first five days of early voting in 2012, the most recent presidential election year, when 3,071 votes were cast.

Primary election

Early voting for the March 1 primary election continues through Feb. 29. Voters can view sample ballots and obtain information on polling places at vote.bentoncountyar… for Benton County voters. Voters in Washington County can go to that county’s website at www.co.washington.a… to obtain election information.

Source: Staff Report

In Washington County, off-site early voting is new to this year's primary election but Jenifer Price, the county's election coordinator, said the early voting results for the primary should compare to past results from general elections. Price said a partial tally showed close to 2,900 people cast ballots in the first four days of early voting this year.

"In 2008, the total number of early ballots cast was around 3,600," Price said. "So we're definitely going to surpass that. In both 2012 and 2014 we barely got to 3,000 early votes. So we're definitely on track to outpace what we've done in previous years."

Voters who completed the process pointed to the ease of early voting as their main motivation.

"This is the second time I've early voted," Jessica Estepp, a four-year resident of Bentonville, said. "It's the ease of getting in and out. And you don't have to figure out where your precinct is."

Estepp said she plans to continue taking advantage of early voting.

"The lines on election day are insane," she said.

Brandi Gunn of Bentonville brought her 6-year-old daughter Presley with her when she voted. Gunn said the two of them were making an outing of it.

"Going to vote and playing in the park," she said.

Gunn said she has voted on election day in the past and also taken advantage of the early voting period. She said early voting is a much better choice for her.

"The wait," she said. "The wait is nonexistent when you vote early. I usually come here and do everything in one stop."

Off-site early voting locations in the county were also seeing a steady business, although the number varied from location to location. Riordan Hall in Bella Vista was busiest, with 574 voters casting their ballots in the first three days of early voting. Early voting locations in Gravette and Garfield were the last used, with slightly more than 80 voters casting ballots in those locations in the first three days.

"I'm actually surprised it's not busier," Kim Dennison, the county's election coordinator, said Friday. "We've had no problems. Everybody is working just fine, doing what they're supposed to be doing. I have not had any issues or complaints."

Tena O'Brien, Benton County Clerk, said she had one complaint over a question of election law. O'Brien said one voter from the Rogers office questioned when poll workers wrote "No ID" on the voter information slip they gave her after she was asked and declined to provide identification. O'Brien explained the law requires poll workers to asked for identification, but voters are not required to provide it. When voters decline the request, O'Brien said, the poll workers are required to make the "No ID" note on the poll book slip. The voter cast her ballot as any others did, O'Brien said and the "No ID" indication can't be used to track or identify her vote.

NW News on 02/20/2016

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