The bill amends existing laws regarding the redistricting of precincts and the reporting of election results in Arkansas. It introduces new requirements for the establishment and alteration of precinct boundaries, including the necessity for a digital map and a numerical code for each precinct. Specifically, the county board of election commissioners is mandated to designate precincts using a six-digit numeric code, with the first three digits corresponding to the Federal Information Processing Series numerical county location code, and the last three digits assigned by the commissioners. Additionally, the bill emphasizes that precincts must be contiguous, compact, and easily identifiable by voters.

In terms of election result reporting, the bill requires that preliminary and unofficial results be transmitted by precinct using the newly established six-digit numeric code. This applies to all state and federal elections, ensuring that results are reported in a standardized format. The Secretary of State is also granted the authority to establish policies and procedures related to the implementation of these changes. Furthermore, the bill mandates that all precinct boundaries be established and designated with the six-digit numeric code before the general election in 2028.

Statutes affected:
SB 420: 7-5-101(b), 7-5-701(a)