AR HB1712

Requires poll workers to initial the back of ballots, remove the ballot stub, and place it in a stub box before giving ballots to voters in counties using paper ballots.

Limits voters to five (5) minutes to mark their ballot and requires personal deposit of marked ballots into the ballot box without voter identification.

Establishes procedures for handling abandoned ballots left at voting booths, requiring poll workers to mark them "Abandoned," place in envelopes with documentation of circumstances, and preserve separately without counting.

Authorizes two poll workers to override electronic vote tabulating device warnings and complete ballot casting for rejected ballots only if the voter has departed the polling site and did not indicate desire to cancel or replace the ballot.

Restricts polling place access on election day to election officials, authorized poll watchers, voters, persons assisting voters, law enforcement, authorized monitors/observers, persons with unrelated polling place business, and other authorized personnel; requires documentation of unauthorized presence and compliance with six-foot distance from voting booths.