The Pulaski County Election Commission took an initial step toward rectifying a voting discrepancy that came to light during this week's Little Rock School District special election.
The commission reviewed dozens of provisional ballots Thursday.
On election day, 56 voters with homes in west Little Rock -- located along the boundary between the Little Rock School District and the Pulaski County Special School District -- filled out provisional ballots as county officials determined where exactly the boundary lies between the two districts.
The Pulaski County clerk's office determined that there was an approximately 30-foot gray area created by erroneous lines drawn during a redistricting process in 2012.
"We had one person who shows up to vote and they couldn't vote, but if their neighbor showed up from literally two blocks down, they would have been able to vote, because that line isn't clear out there," said Jason Kennedy, assistant chief deputy of the clerk's office.
After reviewing older hand-drawn precinct maps and comparing voter registration information, the Pulaski County clerk's office and the Election Commission determined that 19 of those 56 ballots were valid; 37 were submitted by residents living outside the Little Rock School District.
According to the county's tax collection office, taxes collected from the 19 eligible voters had gone toward the Little Rock School District. Taxes collected from the 37 voters had gone toward the county's school district.
Although the decision won't affect Tuesday's election results -- 7,167 voters, or 65 percent of the electorate, voted against the Little Rock School District's tax-extension proposal -- county officials intend to get the matter sorted out before a similar election scheduled for next month.
In a June 13 special election, people living in the Pulaski County Special School District will vote on a tax-extension measure for the district. If approved, 14.8 in debt-service mills would be collected for another 13 years and would help finance a $65 million bond to expand Sylvan Hills High School in Sherwood, along with other projects.
Before the Pulaski County Election Commission meets Thursday, it will send notifications to the 56 provisional-ballot voters informing each how his vote was counted. During Thursday's meeting, the commission will hold a public hearing before certifying the election results.
Metro on 05/12/2017