SB701 Summary: Arkansas Absentee Voting Integrity Act of 2021

• Creates uniform absentee ballot application and voting procedures with single election cycle validity by default, plus optional one-year validity option for out-of-county voters, long-term care facility residents, and voters with disabilities.

• Requires application forms to include perjury warnings (up to $10,000 fine or 10 years imprisonment for false information) and standardized election language created by Secretary of State using plain language terms.

• Establishes detailed absentee ballot counting procedures including two-election official review of materials, voter statement verification, comparison of voter information across documents, and provisional ballot designation for discrepancies.

• Mandates county boards of election commissioners report suspected voter fraud to state board and county prosecutors within 30 days of election certification and fully assist law enforcement investigations.

• Requires State Board of Election Commissioners to adopt rules by January 1, 2022 for absentee ballot storage, chain of custody documentation, handling procedures, and Freedom of Information Act compliance while maintaining voter material secrecy.