SB235 Summary

• Establishes the Arkansas Absentee Voter Integrity Act of 2023, creating comprehensive procedures for opening, processing, and counting absentee ballots no earlier than 8:30 a.m. on election day.

• Requires county election officials to compare voter materials including name, address, date of birth, and signature on absentee applications and voter statements, with ballots failing comparison designated as provisional.

• Allows voters to cure provisional ballots by noon the Monday following election day by providing missing materials, verifying in writing under penalty of perjury, or privately reviewing their ballot.

• Mandates the State Board of Election Commissioners adopt rules by January 1, 2024 regarding absentee ballot storage, chain of custody documentation, security procedures, and Freedom of Information Act compliance.

• Prohibits county clerks from accessing absentee ballots after outer envelopes are opened and requires ballots be counted before election day polls close, with results not released until after polls close.