Arkansas Voter Information!

If you want to vote in the Nov. 5th Arkansas General Election, you must be an Arkansas resident and 18 on or before the election day and properly registered to vote! All Arkansans should triple check their registration HERE (this is also the website to use to view your sample ballot). Save this Arkansas ACLU website, and use it if you have any issues while voting.

Registration:

  • Voters who need to update the COUNTY they live in have until close of business, Friday, Nov. 1st to update their address

  • Voters who need to update their address in the SAME county as they are currently registered can update through election day – HOWEVER, if you wait until you go to vote, it can lengthen the amount of time it takes to vote by a lot - so instead, call your county clerk now and have them update your address over the phone!

Absentee Ballots:

If you are unable to vote in person early or on the day of the election, you may request an absentee ballot. Submit this request ASAP!!! When returning your ballot, TRIPLE CHECK that you have followed the instructions and you submit ALL required materials in time. More information HERE.

Voting in Person ID requirements:

In Arkansas, you must have an ID in order to vote. The name and photo on the ID must match your registration and the ID must be issued by either the United States, the State of Arkansas, or an accredited postsecondary educational institution in the State of Arkansas. Additionally, the ID cannot be more than 4 years past the ID expiration date.

Documents and identification cards that will be accepted as verification of voter registration include without limitation: 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 education 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 as provided under Ark. Code § 7-5-324.

Early Voting:

This election, early voting will occur from Oct. 21st - Nov. 4th. To see your early voting locations and times in Benton County go HERE. As long as you are registered to vote in Benton County, you may go to any of the listed voting centers.

Election Day Voting:

Election day voting will occur on Tuesday, Nov. 5th from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. As long as you are in line before 7:30 p.m., you may vote. To see your election day voting location options in Benton County go to HERE. As long as you are registered to vote in Benton County, you may go to any of the listed voting centers.

Need more information about who/what will be on your ballot?

Go to the AR Votes website. My voter guide email, with indicators on who you may want to support in the most important races across Benton County, will hit your inbox this week!

Local Events

  • Monday, Oct. 14th at 6:30 p.m. - Democratic Party of Benton County (DPBC) Monthly Meeting at the Arvest Conference Room in downtown Bentonville (behind the Arvest building off of Legion Rd) - doors open at 6 p.m.; hear from some local municipal candidates and we’ll also run through all the items you’ll see on your ballot in Benton County this year 

  • Tuesday, Oct. 15th at 5:30 p.m. - DPBC Monthly Social Hour at Levi’s Gastrolounge in Rogers (224 S 2nd St); join for a casual meet-up with local Democrats

  • Friday, Oct. 18th from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. - True Colors Farm Tulip Planting Day 2024; PerspectAbility needs help planting 100,000 tulip bulbs at the True Colors Farm (13345 W Tycoon Rd, Bentonville) for next year’s tulip season. Everyone is welcome to come any time during the event, register HERE.

  • Saturday, Oct. 19th at 6 p.m. - Two Friends Book celebration of Imaginary Title book release from Bentonville’s Sam Slaton and local photographer Kenza Barton Schlee. This is a multi-disciplinary, limited run book of art and poetry. With language taken directly from the municipal land use codes, Sam and Kenza, are interrogating the ways that we use land, build cities, and exist in the built environment.

  • Wednesday, Oct. 23rd at 6 p.m. - Circles NWA hosted Make a Plan to Vote event at the Fayetteville Public Library; Circles NWA staff will help you find your sample ballot, learn about the roles and responsibilities of different elected positions like Justice of the Peace, City Council, or State Supreme Court Justice. The event will focus on both Washington and Benton County. Register to attend HERE.

  • Thursday, Oct. 24th at 9 a.m. - Virtual Scaling Local Innovations for Achieving Housing Affordability discussion hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center; BPC’s Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy will host a joint event with the National Housing Crisis Task Force—a project of Accelerator for America and the Nowak Metro Finance Lab at Drexel University—on local and state best practices to increase housing affordability in collaboration with the federal government. Register to attend HERE.

Community Involvement Opportunities

LBJ Women’s Campaign School Application Period OPEN

Do you want to learn how to run for office, manage campaigns, and navigate the world of politics? Learn from the nation's top political experts, in a structured curriculum from a top public policy school. Gain a network that will be with you every step of your political journey.

Meet your new professional mentor through our program. For every participant who opts into our mentorship program, they handpick a mentor with the right experience and skills who can guide their specific, long-term political goals.

The LBJ Women's Campaign School is a nonpartisan training program for women who plan to run for office or manage a political campaign. The program (which is mostly online) will begin on May 21, 2025, with the intention of training potential candidates and campaign staff for the elections of 2026, 2027, and 2028.

There have two rounds of applications for our 2025 Cohort. The first round of applications is due by December 16, 2024. The second round is due by February 10, 2025. If you have any questions please contact the team at [email protected].

Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission - Survey Response Request

Phase 2 of the Northwest Arkansas Energy & Environment Innovation Plan is now underway! Help prioritize our region’s goals and actions to create a more resilient future for Northwest Arkansas! Take the public survey and/or fill out the idea box.

Take the survey before October 31 to help us plan for NWA’s increased resiliency and sustainability.

Candidate Events/Volunteer Opportunities

There are 22 days until the Nov. 5th general election. As Michelle Obama encouraged at the DNC Convention, you too can DO SOMETHING! Here are some great options to help locally:

The Democratic Party of Benton County Weekend of Action:

Sign up LINK

Candidate Specific Opportunities:

  • Caitlin Draper (candidate for U.S. House of Representatives 3rd District)

    • Bea Apple’s Hillfolk (801 SE 8th St, Bentonville) fundraiser for Caitlin at 6 p.m. on Tues., Oct. 15th

  • Kaylee Wedgeworth (candidate for Senate district 34 - Bella Vista, north Bentonville and north Centerton)

    • Email Kaylee to express interest in ongoing phone banking or specific door knocking events in October

  • Kate Schaffer (candidate for House District 10 - Bentonville/Bella Vista)

    • Yard Sign Request Form HERE

    • Sign up to volunteer for phone banking or canvassing HERE

  • Stephanie Funk (candidate for House District 15 - Center Rogers)

    • Yard Sign Request Form HERE

  • Steven Baker (candidate for Justice of the Peace district 5 - center Bentonville and NW Rogers)

    • Sign up to volunteer for phone banking or canvassing HERE

  • Carol Vella (candidate for Justice of the Peace district 8 - downtown Bentonville)

    • Sign up to volunteer for phone banking or canvassing HERE

  • Jocelyn Lampkin (candidate for Bentonville City Council Ward 4)

    • Yard sign request form HERE

  • Wendy Harding (candidate for Pea Ridge City Council Ward 2)

    • Early voting Meet and Greet at Pear Ridge City Park on Saturday, Oct. 19th from 3 - 5 p.m.

Municipal Government Awareness

Bella Vista

  • Next Council Mtng: Monday, Oct. 21 at 5:30 p.m. (2483 Forest Hills Blvd) - work session

  • Items of Note:

    • As part of the Blue Crane purchase of land, a new outdoor adventure lodge will be opening in Bella Vista spring 2025. Read more HERE.

Bentonville

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Coffee with the Mayor - highlights with the Finance Department; register HERE

    • The City of Bentonville Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC) is inviting students between 7th and 12th grade to submit proposals for artwork to be painted on two sewer mains in Town Branch Park. Students of the selected artworks will be working with the Public Art Advisory Committee to paint the design onto the sewer mains. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Dec. 18th. Application information HERE.

    • Congratulations to Luke Powers and Council Member Gayatri Agnew on the approval to establish an Active Transportation Advisory Board in the city; read more from Heather McCombs in the Bentonville Bulletin HERE

    • Attend the ribbon cutting and welcome celebration for the Bentonville Public Library expansion completion on Wednesday, Oct. 30th from 5 to 7 p.m.

Cave Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m. (134 N. Main St.)

Centerton

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. (210 Municipal Dr.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Community Center Public Forum will be held Thursday, Oct. 24th from 6 - 8:30 p.m.. This is a walk in meeting with a small presentation at 6 pm and 7pm; held in the meeting facility located at 210 Municipal Drive.

    • Coffee with Mayor will be on Saturday, Oct. 19th at 9 a.m. at the Community Room (290 North Main St)

Gravette

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m. (202 Main St. NE)

Lowell

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. (216 N. Lincoln St.)

Pea Ridge

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. (911 Weston St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • City of Pea Ridge fall tree giveaway will be on Oct. 18th from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (or while supplies last), at City Hall (975 Weston St.); must be a city resident to receive a tree

    • Public engagement meeting to discuss the Master Plan drafts will be held on Tues., Oct. 29th from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. at City Hall

Rogers

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)

  • Items of Note:

    • City Council accepted a $7 million federal funding grant from the Environment Innovation Coalition. The grant money will be used over five years to pay for construction of 5,162 feet of trails, land preservation (146 acres), and wetland and prairie restoration.

Siloam Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. (400 N. Broadway)

  • Items of Note:

    • Each year, the Sanitation Division organizes both Spring and Fall Cleanup events for the city. The Fall Cleanup will be held October 21-24. Approved items (HERE) will be picked up on your regular trash day during the week of Fall or Spring Cleanup. Please have your items at the curb no later than 7:00 a.m. that day and no earlier than a day before the cleanup event

Springdale

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. (201 Spring St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Water/Sewer rates will be increasing soon in Springdale. A revised proposal increasing impact fees from $43.01 TO $58.82 and to $85.22 by 2029 will be reviewed and requested for approval by city council members. These estimated fees are based on an average monthly use rate of 4,000 gallons.

County Government Awareness

Benton County Quorum Court

Upcoming County Government meetings at the Admin Building in downtown Bentonville:

  • Committee of the Whole/ Budget Meeting - Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.

  • Planning Board Meeting - Oct. 16 at 6 p.m.

  • Budget Committee Meeting (tentative, if necessary) - Oct. 16 at 6 p.m.

  • Budget Committee Meeting (tentative, if necessary)- Oct. 22 at 6 p.m.

  • Development Review Committee - Oct. 23 at 10 a.m.

  • Quorum Court - Oct. 24 at 6 p.m.

State Government Awareness

State Board of Education:

From Antoinette Grajeda at the Arkansas Advocate (read entire article HERE):

“The State Board of Education approved recommended cut scores Thursday for Arkansas’ new statewide assessment, which was administered to students for the first time this spring. Cut scores are selected points on a scale that are used to assign categories, such as proficient or below proficient, that identity how well someone performed on a test. Arkansas Department of Education officials expect to use the newly approved performance levels to measure how students performed on the first year of the Arkansas Teaching and Learning Assessment System (ATLAS) exam and publicly release results by Nov. 1.”

Arkansas Election Board:

In a shock to almost no one, the one county that hand counted ballots in March’s primary will be sanctioned for inaccurate totals, failure to report results, and lack of public meetings when issues arose.

From Mary Hennigan at the Arkansas Advocate (read entire article HERE):

“The State Board of Election Commissioners (SBEC) on Wednesday voted to sanction election officials in one Arkansas county where several hand-counted ballot mistakes occurred during the primary election. Commissioners did not explicitly state which county’s board of election commissioners would receive the sanctions; however, only officials in Searcy County hand-counted ballots in March….

After the March primary, Searcy County was one of 15 counties chosen at random to have its primary election results audited by the SBEC. While counties that exclusively used electronic voting machines had 100% accuracy, the SBEC audit found Searcy County had several discrepancies.”

Election Information

Ballot Issue 3 - The organization behind the medical marijuana initiative continues to fight the Secretary of State’s decision to not count the ballot issue. Earlier this month, the State Supreme Court issued an order to the Secretary of State’s office to continue to validate the signatures collected during the 30 day cure period. The legal battle will likely continue for the remainder of the month. For now, make sure you have a plan to vote FOR or AGAINST this issue in case it does get to count.

Community Member Recognition

Congratulations to Bentonville resident, Jennifer Martinez Belt, for being recognized in the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal as a member of the 2024 class of C-Suite Award winners.

From Talk Business and Politics reporting, “In 2015, the Business Journal launched the C-Suite Awards to celebrate the achievements of some of the region’s most accomplished business and nonprofit leaders. The awards program continues to honor regional leaders’ contributions, community commitment and exceptional professional performance.”

Learn more about Jennifer HERE.

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