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 complete the hand count within twenty-four hours of the polls closing, unless certain conditions are met. If the hand count is not finished in time, the machine tabulated results will be certified instead.

Furthermore, the bill allows for exemptions from the requirement to count to completion if the paper ballots are securely sealed in a double-locking hard shell ballot box and stored in a locked room monitored by a sheriff's deputy. It also mandates that all hand-count totals be recorded by race in each precinct and posted at the designated counting location upon completion. These changes aim to enhance the security and efficiency of the ballot counting process in Arkansas.

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