All three members of the Searcy County Election Commission have resigned, citing concerns that problems with voter and precinct information could lead to voters receiving incorrect ballots in the November election.
Commission Chairman Laurie Gross and commissioners Ken Weekley and Luther C. “L.C.” Ratchford announced their resignations Friday, effective immediately according to a report from KTLO.
The commissioners said they are concerned about the accuracy of voter and precinct information used to prepare ballots and administer the election. They also said the commission does not have direct access to the database containing that information and cannot make necessary corrections.
According to the commissioners, those circumstances could result in voters being assigned incorrect ballots while potentially exposing election commissioners to enforcement action for problems involving information they cannot access or correct.
The resignations come three years after Searcy County adopted a hand-marked paper ballot election system.
County officials approved the system by ordinance in September 2023, with supporters seeking to demonstrate that secure and transparent elections could be conducted at a reasonable cost in a rural county with limited resources. The approach led Searcy County to become known as Arkansas’ “Paper Ballot County.”
The departure of the entire three-member election commission raises questions about how the county will prepare for and administer the upcoming November election, including who will be appointed to replace the commissioners and how the voter and precinct data concerns they raised will be addressed.
More on the situation can be found with the full story on the KTLO Website.
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