On July 15, 2024, the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners approved language for a future press release that highlights the accuracy of electronic voting machines. This decision came despite some disagreement from a board member.
The language is part of the executive summary from the agency’s first audit report on primary elections, required by Act 620 of 2023. The audit reviewed 15 randomly selected counties after the March primaries and found electronic voting machines to be 100% accurate, while hand-counted results had discrepancies.
The report states: “The audit results show that counties using electronic voting machines achieved 100% accuracy. In contrast, counties that hand-counted ballots did not reach 100% accuracy and missed some ballots.”
The board plans to include this information in an upcoming press release, though no release date has been set.
Commissioner Jonathan Williams, who participated by phone, expressed concern that the press release might imply a preference for electronic voting over hand-counting. He asked if the language might suggest a bias.
Commissioner Bilenda Harris-Ritter clarified that the statement is meant to reflect the audit results, not to endorse any specific method.
The audit revealed issues in Searcy County, where hand-counting resulted in errors and missed ballots. The county, with about 8,000 residents, had only a few voters using machines out of approximately 1,700 total votes cast.
Searcy County election officials had previously admitted that hand-counting has a learning curve, though they also expressed concerns about the security of voting machines, which officials maintain are secure against tampering.
Meanwhile, there are ongoing lawsuits over paper ballot petitions. Recent legal developments include a judge’s order for county clerks to certify petitions for a paper-ballot ordinance, with appeals possible to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
In 2023, legislation was passed requiring counties to cover the costs of hand-counting ballots, which can be expensive and time-consuming.
In other news, a federal lawsuit challenging a rule requiring handwritten signatures on voter registration forms is set to be heard. The rule, recently approved by lawmakers, limits electronic signatures and includes funding for legal defense due to a conflict with the attorney general’s office.