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Friday, December 13, 2024

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Amazon donating $1 million to Trump inaugural fund, to air event on Prime Video; Retired USAF colonel urges White House to stop gaslight NJ residents over mysterious drones; Support available for MI youths aging out of foster care; NM designates 250 miles as Outstanding National Resource Waters; One size fits all? Not so, says OSHA for construction protection gear.

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Biden carries out the largest ever single-day act of clemency, voting rights advocates raise alarm over Trump's pick to lead Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and election denier Kari Lake is tapped to lead Voice of America.

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Conservative voters surprised pundits by casting election votes for Trump but also against school vouchers, Pennsylvania's Black mayors work to unite their communities, and America's mental health providers try new techniques.

Lower early voting numbers in AR compared to 2020

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Monday, November 4, 2024   

Election officials in Arkansas say fewer people cast early votes in this year's general election than in 2020.

They say more people voted early four years ago because of the pandemic, but University of Arkansas Political Science Professor Andrew Dowdle said the state is known for its low voter turnout.

He said only 62% of voting age people are registered to vote, and the state doesn't try to reach people in rural areas.

"They've made it so that if you are a high-probability voter, it's very easy for you to vote," said Dowdle. "We've not done a good job in terms of reaching out to those people who are lower-probability voters."

Dowdle said the larger counties have multiple early voting locations, but in many smaller communities, early voting is limited to the courthouse or county seat.

He added that Arkansas is also known for rejecting mail-in ballots in large numbers, especially in rural counties with a large African American population.

"It's going to be heavily scrutinized," said Dowdle. "You're going to have to provide a pretty strong rationalization and then there's going to be a number of efforts that are going to be made. The burden of trying to get in a mail-in ballot it's just a lot higher than other states."

Early voting was heavy in Benton and Washington counties in northwest Arkansas. Dowdle blamed the overall low voter turnout on complacency.

"People kind of talk about Arkansas and say, 'Well Arkansas is not a red state, it's just a state that doesn't vote,'" said Dowdle, "but most polls have shown that there's not a lot of variation between voters and non-voters. It would move Arkansas a little bit from dark red to light red."

The polls will be open tomorrow from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. If you're in line before the polls close, you will be allowed to cast your ballot.




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