Information for Arkansas Voters

The Arkansas state and local primary election began May 3rd with the early voting period that runs until May 17th. The primary itself will be on May 18th. As you work to inform yourself as a voter, I recommend the following resources for researching candidates running for state or local (White County) offices.

• The White County Clerk, Tanya Burleson, has some primary election notes (http://www.whitecountyar.org/docs/2010_PRIMARY_ELECTION.pdf) including dates, times, and locations for voting in the primary in White County.
• The White County Clerk also has a list of county candidates that have filed for the primary (http://www.whitecountyar.org/docs/2010_Primary_Candidates.pdf).
• For a sample ballot specific to the candidates you may vote on in this primary, visit the Arkansas Secretary of State Web site www.voterview.org.

o   Enter your name and birth date, and if you are a registered voter, it will display your voter registration details including the districts where you reside.

o   Three sample ballots are available for view for the primary: A non-partisan ballot (these candidates are included in the other two ballots), a Republican party ballot, and a Democrat party ballot.

o   With your sample ballot, you can research where candidates stand on the issues using their campaign sites, Facebook pages, and other information online.

If you reside outside White County, your County Clerk’s Web site should have similar information available. Please take the time to make informed voting decisions in this year’s primary. Voting is not only a right, it is a responsibility!

Submitted by Russel Hiatt