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What you need to know about Arkansas' 2022 Primary Elections

Updated: 2:28 PM CST Jan 28, 2022

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NEWS ON THE RECORD OVER THE LAST. FEW WEEKS. WEVE HAD THE CHANCE TO HEAR FROMUR O CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOR THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. THEYRE NOT COMING UP UNTIL NOVEMBER, BUT WE DO HAVE THE PRIMARIES COMING UP IN JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS JOINING US NOW IS JENNIFER PRICE. SHE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECRTO OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION AND JENNIFER BEFORE THE MIDTERMS AND EVEN THE PRIMARIES WE HAVE THE FILGIN PERIOD COMING UP GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF HOW THAT PERIOD GOES WHEN IT IS DAN WHAT WE CAN SEE COME OUT OF THE FILING PERIOD SO THE FILING PERIOD STARTS FEBRUARY THE 22ND AND IT RUNS FORNE O WEEK. IT ENDS ON MCHAR 1ST AT NOON. SO WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES FOR CANDIDATES TO FILE ANYONE WHOS RUNNING FOR A FEDERAL OR STATE OFFICE OR NON-PARTISAN JUDICIAL OFFICE WI LL FILE IN LITTLE ROCK SO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PROCEDURES IN LITTLE ROCK, BUT IF Y'ORE RUNNING FOR A COUNTY OFFICE OR A SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE, YOU ACTUALLY WILL FILE IN YOUR LOCAL COUNTY CLERKS OFFICE. DURING THAT SAME WEEK PEODRI AND IS THERE A FEE FOR THE FILING PERIOD TREHE ARE FEES FOR THE FILING PERIOTHD OSE ARE SET BY THE POLITICAL PARTIES AND IT DEPENDS ON THE OFFEIC YOU RUN FOR AND SOMETIMES IT EVEN DEPENDS ON THE COUNTY THAT YOU RUNN I AND THE POLITICAL PARTY THAT YOURE RUNNING FOR. SO EACH OF THOSE CANDIDATES ARE PLANNING ON FILING. IM SURE HA,VE YOU KNOW CONSULDTE WITH THEIR POLITICAL PARTIES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE FILINGEE FS ARE NOW FOR NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL OFFICES. THEY DO HAVE AN OPTION TO PAY A FILING FEE OR THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO ACTUALLY GATHER. PICTURESND A TO FILE BY PETITION HI, JENNIFER, WHEN ARE THE MIDTERMS AND HOW DOES THAT WORK IN ARKANSAS? RFO EXAMPLE, CAN SOMEONE VOTE FOR BHOT THE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES AND PKIC THEIR CANDIDATES FOR BOTH PARTIES? SO THE MIDTERM ELECTION IS MAY 24TH. WE ALSO HAVE TWO WEEKS OF EARLY VOTING WHICHTA SRTS MAY 9TH WE DO HAVE WHAT IS CALLED AN OPEN PRIMARY SYSTEM, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU DO NOT HEAV TO BE REGISTERED AS A DEMOCRAT OR PUBLICANR O AN INDEPENDENT OR WHATEVER OTHER POLITICAL PARTY WILL HE AAV PRIMARY WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO SECTLE WHICH BALLOT THAT YOU NT OWAN ELECTION DAY, BUT YOU DONT HAVEHE T OPTION OF VOTING FOR A OSCRS BALLOT. SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU HAVE TO CHSEOO A DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN BALLOT, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN ONLY VOTE ON THOSE PRIMARY CANDIDATES AND THEN OF COURSE IS THE NONPTIARSAN AND THE OR CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT AS WELL, BUT THOSE ARE ON BOTH POLITICAL BALLOTS AS WELL AS THERES A NONPERSON BALLOT WHIT JUST THE NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES AND THE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES. SO ITS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER YOU KNOW THAT YOU DONT HEAV TO BE REGISTERED WITH A POLITICAL PARTY THAT ON ELECTION DAY. WE ARE ASKINGOU Y WHAT BALLOT YOU WANTOT N HOW YOUR REGISTERED TO VOTEND A MOST VOTERS ARE ACTUALLY REGISTERED ASPT OIONAL WHICH MEANS THAT THEY HAVE NOT DECLARED A POLITICAL PARTY. OKAY, KNOW WHEN YOU ASK FOR A BAOTLL YOU CAN DO IT ELYAR VOTING ABSENTEE VOTING OR THEYRE ON ELECTION DAY, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. SO WE HAVE ABSENTEE VOTING AND YOU KNOW, WEAW S A LARGER INCREASE OF ABSENTEE VOTING THAN 2020. WE DO EXPECT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, A LARGE NUMBER OF ABSENTEE. IN 2022 NOT QUITE THE SEAM NUMBERS. WE SAW IN 2020 AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE THE IN-PERSON VOTING FOR TWO WEEKS FOR EARLY VOTING AND THEN ON ELECTION DAY, BUT YES, YOU MUST DECLARE WHICH BALLOT YOU WANT. WE ARE NOT ASKING WHICH PARTY BELONG TO AND IN FACT ONCE THIS SELECTION IS OVER WHEN YOU GET TO THE GENERAL ELECTION, THATS WHERE YOULL SEE THE CANDIDATES ATTH WON THEIR PRIMARIES ON ONE SINGLE BALLOT NOW. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE RISE IN ABSENTEE VOTING. IS IT BECAUSEF O COVID-19 OR MAYBE SOME CHANGES TO LAWS? WHY ARE WE SEEING THAT SURGEON ABSENTEE VOTING AND DOE W EXPECT IT TO CONTINUE ON? SO WE DEFINITELY SAW RISE IN ABSENTEE VOTING DURING 2020 BECAUSE OF COVID-19, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ABOUT A 12% OF NUMBER FOR ABSENTEE VOTING WHICH IS MHUC LARGER THAN THE TYPICAL ONE TO VEFI PERCENT THAT WE HAVE FOR PRIMARY OR GENERAL ELECTION. NOW BACK TO 40/29 NEWS ON THE RECORD ORVE THE LAST FEW WEEKS. WEVE HAD THE CHANCE TO HEAR FROM OUR CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOR THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. THEYREOT N COMING UP UNTIL NOVEMBER, BUT WE DO HAVE THE PRIMARIES COMING UP AND JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS JOINING US NOW IS JENNIFER PRICE. SHE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ELECTION. STATION AND JENNIFER BEFOREHE T MIDTERMS AND EVEN THE PRIMARIES WE HAVE THE FILING PERIOD COMING UP GIVE US A RUNWNDO OF HOW THAT PERIOD GOES WHEN IT IS AND WHAT WE CAN SEE COME OUT OF THE FILING PERIOD SO THE FILING PEODRI STARTS FEBRUARY THE 22ND AND IT RUNS FOR ONE WEEK. IT ENDS ON MARCH 1ST THAT NOON SO WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES FOR CANDIDATES TO FILE ANY. IS RUNNING FOR A FEDERAL OR STATE OFFICE OR NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL OFFICE WILL FILE IN LITTLE ROCK SO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PROCEDURES IN LITTLE ROCK, BU T IF YOURE RUNNING FOR A COUNTY OFFICE OR A SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE, YOU ACTUALLY WILL FILE IN YOUR LOC CALOUNTY CLERKS OFFICE DURING THAT SAME WEEK PERIOD AND IS TREHE A FEE FOR THE FILING PERDIO SO THERE ARE FEESOR F THE FILING PERIOD THOSE ARE SET BY THE POLITICAL PARTIES AND IT DEPDSEN ON THE OFFICE YOU RUN FOR AND SOMETIMES IT EVEN DEPENDS ON THE COUNTY THATOU Y RUN IN AND THE POLITICAL PARTY ATTH YOURE RUNNING FOR. SO EACH OF THOSE CANDIDATES HERE PLANNING ON FILING. IM SURE HAVE, YOU KNOW CONSULTED WITH THEIR POLITICAL PARTIES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE FILGIN FEES ARE NOWOR F NON-PERSON JUDICIAL OFFICES. THEY DO HEAV AN OPTION TO PAY A FILING FEE OR THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO ACTUALLY GATHER. TEACHERS AND TO FILE BY PETITION I HAD JENNIFER WHENRE A THE MIDTERMS AND HOW DOES THAT WKOR IN ARKANSAS? FOR EXAMPLE, CAN SOMEONE VOTE FOR BOTH THE DEMOCRATIC AND REBLPUICAN PRIMARIES AND PICK THEIR CANDIDATES FOR BOTH PARTIES? SO THE MIDTERM ELECTION IS MAY 24TH. WE ALSO HAVE TWO WEEKS OF ELYAR VOTING WHICH STARTS MAY 9TH WE DO HAVE WHAT IS CALLED AN OPEN PRIMARY SYSTEM, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE REGISTERED AS A DEMOCRAT OR PUBLICAN OR AN INDEPENDENT OR WHATEVER OTHER POLITICAL PARTY WILL HAVE A PRIMARY WHICH ALLSOW YOU TO SELECT WHICH BALLOT THAT YOU WANT ON ELECTION DAY, BUT YOU DONT HAVE THE OPTNIO OF VOTING FOR A CROSS BALLOT. SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU HAVEO T CHOOSE A DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN BALLOT, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN ONLY VEOT ON THOSE PRIMARY CANDIDATES AND TNHE OF COURSE IS THE NONPARTISAN AND THE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT AS WELL. BUT THOSE ARE ON BOTH POLITALIC BALLOTS AS WELLS A THERES A NON-PERSON BALLOT WITH JUST THE NON-PERSON CANDIDATES AND THE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES. SO ITS IMPORTTAN TO REMEMBER YOU KNOW THAT YOU DONT HAVE TO BE REGISTERED WITH A POLITICAL PARTY THAT ON ELECTION DAY. WE ARE ASKING BALLOTOU Y WANT NOT HOW YOUR REGISTERED TO VOTE AND MOST VOTERS ARE ACTUALLY REGISTERED AS OPTIONAL WHICH MEANS THATHE TY HAVE NOT DECLARED A POLITICAL PARTY. OK,AY SO IM WHEN YOU ASK FOR A BALLOT YOU CAN DO IT EARLY VOTING ABSENTEE VOTING OR THEYRE ON ELECTION DAY, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. SO WE HAVE ABSENTEE VOTING AND YOU KNOW, WE SAW A LARGER INCREASEF O ABSENTEE VOTING THAN 2020. WE DO EXCTPE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, A LARGE NUMBER OF ABSENTEE VOTING IN 2022 NOT QUITE THE SAME NUMBERS. WE SAW IN 2020 AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVEHE T IN-PERSON VOTING FOR TWO WEEKS FOR EARLY VOTING AND THEN ON ELECTIO DNAY, BUT YES, YOU MUST DECRELA WHICH BALLOT YOU WANT. WE ARE NOT ASKING WHICH PARTY BENGLO TO AND IN FACT ONCE THIS ELECTION IS OVER WHEN YOUET G TO THE GENERAL ELECTION, THATS WHEER YOULL SEE THE CANDIDATES THAT WON THEIR PRIMARIES ON ONE SINGLE BALLOT. NOW YOU TALDKE ABOUT THE RISE IN ABSENTEE VOTING. IS IT BECAUSE OF COVID-19 OR MAEYB SOME CHANGES TO LAWS? WHY ARE WE SEEING THAT SURGEON ABSENTEE VOTING AND DO WE EXPECT IT TO CONTINUE ON? SO WE DEFINITELY SAW RISE IN ABSENTEE VOTING DURING 2020 BECAUSE OF COVID-19, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ABOUT A 12% OF NUMBER FOR ABSENTEE VOTING WHICH IS MUCH LARGER THAN THE TYPICAL ONE TO FIVE PERCENT THATE W HAVE FOR PRIMARY OR GENERALLE ECTION. WE DONT EXPECT TO SEE THAT 12% THIS YEAR, BUT WE DO EXPECT TO SEE A LARGERUMBER N OF PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ABSENTEE VOTING BECAUSE AS LONG AS UYO FOLLOW ALL OF THE PROCEDURES WHICH ANMES THAT YOU FILLUT O YOUR VOTER STATEMENT CORRECTLY YOU PROVIDE A PHOTOCOPYF O YOUR FOOD PHOTO ID AND YOU MEAK SURE THAT YOU SIGN AND RETNUR THE ABSENTEE BALLOT IN TIME. IT IS ACTUALLY VERY EASY WAY FOR VOTERS TO VOTE WHO ARE UNABLE TO BE AT THE POLLS DURING EARLY VOTING ON OUR ELECTION DAY, BUT WHAT WE DID SEE WAS AN INCREASE IN EARLY VOTING WE WENT FROM 50% EARLY VOTE BACK IN 2018 TO 65% EARLY VOTEN I 2020. WE DO EXPECTT THA TO TREND TO CONTINUE BECSEAU EARLY VOTING IS POPULAR. ITS CONVENIENT. ITS FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF METI AND WE HAVE SEVERAL LOCATIONS OPEN ACROSS WASHINGTON COUNTY. YEAH. I' AN EARLY VOTER. SO, ALL RIGHT JENNIFER PRICE. WERE GOINGO T BE BACK WITH MORE QU

What you need to know about Arkansas' 2022 Primary Elections

Updated: 2:28 PM CST Jan 28, 2022

In 2022, Arkansans will cast their ballots to choose new local officials and representatives to congress along with a new governor and lieutenant governor.Primary ElectionsArkansas' primaries will be held in May.The Democratic and Republican Parties of Arkansas will hold primaries to select their nominees on May 24, 2022. To vote in these primaries, you need to be registered before April 24, 2022. Early voting will begin on May 9, 2022.You can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary, not both. You will be asked to select a party ballot when you arrive at the polling place.The Libertarian Party of Arkansas will hold a convention in early 2022 to select its nominee.Independent candidates are not running with a party and are not subject to primaries or conventions.Big RacesSeveral candidates are running to replace Asa Hutchinson as governor of Arkansas. Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the only declared candidate on the Republican side, but several other candidates have announced. Follow this link to learn about the candidates for governor.The situation is reversed in the race for lieutenant governor. Six Republicans but only one Democrat, Kelly Krout, is running.General ElectionTo vote in the general election, you must be registered by Oct. 10, 2022.Voting begins Oct. 24, 2022, and lasts through Election Day on Nov. 8, 2022.If runoffs are needed, they will be held in December.

In 2022, Arkansans will cast their ballots to choose new local officials and representatives to congress along with a new governor and lieutenant governor.

Arkansas' primaries will be held in May.

The Democratic and Republican Parties of Arkansas will hold primaries to select their nominees on May 24, 2022. To vote in these primaries, you need to be registered before April 24, 2022. Early voting will begin on May 9, 2022.

You can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary, not both. You will be asked to select a party ballot when you arrive at the polling place.

The Libertarian Party of Arkansas will hold a convention in early 2022 to select its nominee.

Independent candidates are not running with a party and are not subject to primaries or conventions.

Several candidates are running to replace Asa Hutchinson as governor of Arkansas. Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the only declared candidate on the Republican side, but several other candidates have announced.

Follow this link to learn about the candidates for governor.

The situation is reversed in the race for lieutenant governor. Six Republicans but only one Democrat, Kelly Krout, is running.

To vote in the general election, you must be registered by Oct. 10, 2022.

Voting begins Oct. 24, 2022, and lasts through Election Day on Nov. 8, 2022.

If runoffs are needed, they will be held in December.

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What you need to know about Arkansas' 2022 Primary Elections - 4029tv