Arkansas Voter ID Law Takes Effect

Early voting starts today in Franklin, Woodruff and Pulaski counties for various sales tax elections. Today is also the first day that Arkansas will again start requiring voters to show identification before they can receive a ballot.

Passed in the recent legislative session, Act 633 of 2017 requires people to verify their registration when voting in person or by absentee ballot by providing a required documentation or identification card.

Documentation and identification cards that comply with the law include:

• A driver’s license
• A photo identification card
• A concealed handgun carry license
• A United States passport
• An employee badge or identification document issued by an accredited postsecondary educational institution in the State of Arkansas
• A United States military identification document
• A public assistance identification card if the card shows a photograph of the person to whom the document or identification card was issued
• A voter verification card under Arkansas Code Annotated § 7-5-324

Can you still vote on Election Day if you don’t have any of the documentation or identification materials listed above with you at your voting location?

Yes, you can vote using a provisional ballot. However, your vote will only be counted by the Election Commission if you:

• Complete a sworn statement at the polling site stating that you are registered to vote in this state and you are the person registered to vote OR
• Return to the county board of election commissioners or the county clerk by noon on the Monday following the election and present a document or identification card.

Similar rules apply for absentee voting. Contact your county clerk for more information about providing identification for your absentee ballot or if you have questions about what documentation you need to vote at the polls.

In addition to Act 633, Arkansas legislators voted to place a constitutional amendment on the November 2018 ballot that would require photo identification to vote.

If approved by voters, the constitutional amendment could circumvent possible court challenges that say showing voter identification is unconstitutional. Read the full proposal. 

Have more voter registration questions? Check out our Arkansas Voter Education Resources page.