The Arkansas Absentee Voter Integrity Act of 2025 seeks to strengthen the integrity of absentee voting by amending existing laws related to the counting of absentee ballots and the responsibilities of election officials. Key provisions include stipulating that absentee ballots must be tabulated no earlier than 8:30 a.m. on election day, while allowing the county board of election commissioners to begin counting absentee and early votes before polls close. The act also mandates public access to the absentee canvassing process and requires election officials to provide detailed reports on absentee ballot applications and votes received.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new verification procedures for absentee ballot materials, necessitating that two election officials canvass and compare these materials to ensure compliance with voter identification requirements. In cases of discrepancies, absentee ballots will be marked as provisional, with established criteria for determining their countability. Voters will have until 12:00 noon the Monday following the election to correct any issues with their provisional ballots. The bill also requires the State Board of Election Commissioners to adopt rules for the maintenance and storage of absentee ballot materials, with a deadline for these rules set for January 1, 2026, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

Statutes affected:
SB 247: 7-5-416, 7-5-202, 7-5-701, 7-5-701(a)