Polls open across Arkansas early voting On Monday, thousands of people are expected to vote before Election Day next month.
Voters will decide whether or not to grant Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton and the state’s four congressmen – all Republicans – to new terms. All six face Democratic challengers, and some also face Libertarian candidates.
Samantha Boyd, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas secretary of state’s office, said she anticipates 500,000 people, or half the total number of people eligible to vote, will vote early this year.
Here’s what Arkansans said about the candidates and issues during their early voting:
Republican voters cite ties to Trump as an asset
Saline County, a Republican stronghold in central Arkansas, welcomed nearly 600 voters mid-morning Monday, said county communications director Trevor Villines.
Some voters have expressed enthusiasm for Republican candidates such as Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
“She’s here to do the good job, and we need someone who’s going to continue to do the good job,” said AJ Burchfield of Haskell, who has voted Republican in all federal and state elections.
Retired police officer William Good of Benton said voting Republican down the ballot mattered most to him. He said he hadn’t read the ballot measures and wanted to vote for anyone aligned with President Donald Trump, including U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton and U.S. Rep. French Hill.
Democrats discuss frustration with president
Other Benton residents said their frustrations with the Trump administration motivated them to vote for Democrats, including Hill opponent Chris Jones and Cotton opponent Hallie Shoffner.
“(I hope) we send candidates to Congress who will help balance the scales rather than blindly supporting those who are already in power,” said Tanner Oglesby, a teacher.
Robert Zimmerman said he generally votes for Democrats because Republicans “represent everything that is wrong with this country”, as cuts in public services And Social security.
Neil McElhaney said he also supports Shoffner and Jones because “it’s time for change.” He said he was frustrated by Republican elected officials’ rhetoric toward immigrants and LGBTQ+ people.
Locally, Oglesby and McElhaney said they voted against the Saline County bill. property tax reduction proposal fund the local library system.
“We need to keep the library funded,” McElhaney said. “Education is key. My mother, being a retired English teacher, always emphasized education.”
Pulaski County voter opposed to incumbents
More than 10,000 voters cast ballots in Pulaski County on the first day of early voting, according to the county Election Commission.
The polling site in downtown Little Rock, Pulaski County, saw a steady stream of voters Monday morning, with several people standing outside waving signs primarily for Democratic candidates, although some also held signs for Libertarians and Republicans.
Voters who spoke with the Arkansas Advocate indicated their vote was intended to oppose incumbents such as Cotton and Hill.
Sarah King of Little Rock said she voted for Shoffner and Jones because she thought they had morals that their opponents did not.
“I just think we have an administration right now that is not kind and doesn’t care about human rights,” King said.
She said she is opposed to the Flock cameras that have been popping up across the state and is particularly concerned about how immigrants have been treated under the Trump administration.
“These are my neighbors and this is my community,” King said. “I have a son and I want him to know too that I did not support this.”
Retired teacher says liability is a concern
Faye Hanson, a retired teacher from North Little Rock who traditionally supports Democrats, said her biggest concern when researching candidates was accountability. She said Cotton and Hill aren’t meeting with their constituents enough.
“They don’t do the job for us, they get paid a lot of money, they get quality health care and they vote against our interests,” Hanson said. “I think many of our public servants at all levels have forgotten who they work for.”
Hanson also said she opposed all four ballot measures Arkansans would decide on. The lack of a process to create the economic development districts proposed in Issue 3 concerned her because she doesn’t “trust the people in power right now to use our money wisely.” She said she also could not support Issue 4, which would allow the state to issue up to half a billion dollars in bonds for water and wastewater infrastructure.
Jessica Roberts declined to say who she voted for, but said generally that people already in office at all levels – local, state and federal – are not keeping the promises they made on the campaign trail. Roberts cited gun violence as a concern in the region.
“Some people we already have there say they’re going to do this for the kids and do that for the kids, and we don’t see any of that,” Roberts said.
Northwest Arkansas voter says Congress must check president’s power
Bruce Wilkinson, a Benton County voter, said he went to the polls early alongside his wife because he wanted to make his voice heard.
“We wanted to get there as soon as possible,” Wilkinson said. “We were looking forward to doing it early.”
Wilkinson said members of the House and Senate have failed to fulfill their responsibility to check presidential power.
“The problem is the fact that Congress let the president do what he wanted and didn’t properly police him,” Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson said he hoped voters would replace public officials who had failed to fulfill their constitutional role. For him, the election is an opportunity to change who represents the public and to hold elected officials accountable.
While Wilkinson is happy he voted, he said the election isn’t over until the results are announced and every vote is counted.
“I will feel better on November 3 when we have the results and everything is finally counted,” he said.
Local race is biggest draw for Rogers voter
June Galloway stood before the Benton County Election Commission as a nonpartisan voter supporting Mallory Sanders in her campaign for Rogers City Council.
Galloway said Sanders’ experience as an attorney and teacher at NorthWest Arkansas Community College sets her apart from other candidates in the race. Galloway stressed that his support was not based on party affiliation.
“I’m not here as a Democrat or a Republican,” Galloway said. “I’m here as a nonpartisan to support Mallory.”
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