Record-setting early voting didn't pre-empt a heavy turnout on election day itself, according to Benton and Washington county election officials.
"It's a mad house out there," Russell Anzalone, chairman of the Benton County Election Commission, jokingly said about today's election attendance.
Jennifer Price, Washington County Election Commission coordinator, said voting was going smoothly despite a heavy pace, especially before regular working hours began for most voters.
"We are waiting to get another surge after 5 when people get off work," Price said.
Price said voter turnout with the early votes is at 39.7 percent. She said there had not been any reports of problems at any of the 46 voting centers in the county.
Anzalone said voting in Benton County was running very smoothly and that officials have not received any complaints.
"We know things are going well because our phones here are not ringing off the hook," he said.
Anzalone said he was very glad to see the early voting number in the county: 48,500 early and absentee votes.
"We opened 12 early voting sites so people could vote," he said. Anzalone said 1,800 people voted Monday at the election commission in Rogers.
NW News on 11/07/2018