The bill amends existing laws regarding the marking and counting of paper ballots in Arkansas elections. It introduces a requirement that each paper ballot intended for hand counting must feature either a watermark or an ultraviolet ink seal, with a unique placement for each election cycle. Additionally, the bill modifies the procedures for counting paper ballots, stipulating that poll workers must certify and attest to the list of voters and complete the count within twenty-four hours of the polls closing, with no significant breaks in the counting process.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that if the hand count is not finished at least twenty-four hours before the certification deadline, the machine tabulated results will be considered the official results. It also mandates that all hand-count totals be recorded by race in each precinct and posted at the designated location. A new provision allows poll workers to be exempt from completing the count if the paper ballots are securely sealed and stored in a locked room under the supervision of a sheriff's deputy.

Statutes affected:
HB 1884: 7-5-601(i), 7-5-603(4)