Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2023 SENATE BILL 420
4
5 By: Senator J. Dotson
6 By: Representative A. Collins
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE REDISTRICTING
10 OF PRECINCTS; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE
11 REPORTING OF ELECTION RESULTS; AND FOR OTHER
12 PURPOSES.
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15 Subtitle
16 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE
17 REDISTRICTING OF PRECINCTS; AND TO AMEND
18 THE LAW CONCERNING THE REPORTING OF
19 ELECTION RESULTS.
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22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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24 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 7-5-101(b)(4), concerning the establishment
25 and alteration of precinct boundaries, polling sites, and vote centers, is
26 amended to read as follows:
27 (4)(A) An order to alter the boundaries of any precinct or
28 establish any new one shall not be effective until it has been filed with the
29 county clerk.
30 (B) The order shall contain:
31 (i) A written description of the boundaries of the
32 precinct;
33 (ii) A printed map of the boundaries of the precincts
34 altered or established; and
35 (iii) A digital map detailing the precinct boundaries
36 altered or established in a format prescribed by the Arkansas Geographic
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1 Information Systems Office; and
2 (iv) The numerical codes designated for each
3 precinct.
4 (5) When redistricting the county board of election
5 commissioners shall:
6 (A) Designate precincts using a six digit numeric
7 code:
8 (i) The beginning three digits shall be the
9 Federal Information Processing Series numerical county location code used by
10 the United States Bureau of the Census;
11 (ii) The last three digits of the numeric code
12 shall be designated by the county board of election commissioners; and
13 (iii) A sequential numerical system beginning
14 with the precinct located in the northwest of the county;
15 (B) Ensure that precincts are numbered consecutively
16 with contiguous precincts having consecutive numbers;
17 (C) Develop precincts that are:
18 (i) Contiguous;
19 (ii) Compact;
20 (iii) Easily identifiable and understandable
21 by the voters; and
22 (iv) Easy to locate on a map of the county.
23 (6) As used in subdivision (b)(5)(C)(i), "contiguous"
24 means the boundaries of the precinct:
25 (i) Are touching;
26 (ii) Use major roads, railways, or other similar
27 infrastructure to delineate a portion of the outer boundary of the precinct,
28 if major roads, railways or other similar infrastructure is available; and
29 (iii) Use the edge of the body of water if possible
30 if the body of water is adjacent to or within the precinct, or the center of
31 the body of water if the body of water is not fully included in the precinct.
32
33 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 7-5-701(a)(3), concerning the declaration,
34 certification, delivery, and custody of election results and return, is
35 amended to read as follows:
36 (3)(A) As results are received and tabulated on election night
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1 for all state and federal elections, the county board of election
2 commissioners shall declare preliminary and unofficial results of the
3 election as soon as early voting, absentee, or individual precinct results
4 are tabulated on election night and immediately shall transmit the results by
5 precinct using the six digit numeric code precinct number to the Secretary of
6 State through the election night reporting interface provided by the
7 Secretary of State.
8 (B) The county board of election commissioners may, by
9 agreement with the county clerk, transmit the results to the county clerk who
10 immediately shall transmit the results by precinct using the six digit
11 numeric code precinct number to the Secretary of State under subdivision
12 (a)(3)(A) of this section.
13
14 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 7-5-701(a)(3)(C)(ii), concerning the
15 declaration, certification, delivery, and custody of election results and
16 return, is amended to read as follows:
17 (ii) Immediately transmit the results by precinct
18 using the six digit numeric code precinct number to the Secretary of State
19 through the election night reporting interface provided by the Secretary of
20 State.
21
22 SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 7-5-701(a)(3)(D) and (E), concerning the
23 declaration, certification, delivery, and custody of election results and
24 return, are amended to read as follows:
25 (D) The county board of election commissioners may, by
26 agreement with the county clerk, transmit the results to the county clerk who
27 shall immediately transmit the results by precinct using the six digit
28 numeric code precinct number to the Secretary of State as described in
29 subdivision (a)(3)(C) of this section.
30 (E) The Secretary of State may establish policies and
31 procedures to accomplish the objectives set forth under this section and the
32 format of the six digit numeric code precinct number.
33
34 SECTION 5. DO NOT CODIFY. Designation of precinct boundaries and six
35 digit numeric code precinct number.
36 Before the general election in 2028, each county board of election
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1 commissioners shall establish all precinct boundaries under § 7-5-101 and
2 designate the precincts using the six digit numeric code precinct number.
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Statutes affected:
SB 420: 7-5-101(b), 7-5-701(a)