What’s the point?

Extended election season bad idea

The Arkansas Legislature is in session; some folks think that should be posted on highway marquees announcing Amber Alerts, Silver Alerts and Hazardous Driving Conditions Ahead.

With all due to respect to legislators, fear of legislative sessions surfaced this past week when a bill was introduced that will add confusion and dissension to our 2020 primary election: Senate Bill 445 by Sen. Trent Garner.

I’m pleading with Senator Garner and those inclined to support this effort to reconsider this move, or at least postpone it until proper research is conducted to prove its value. I serve on the Prairie County Election Commission and, in my opinion, SB445 will do more harm than good. In fact, dismal voter turnout (38.39 percent) for the chaotic March 1, 2016, preferential primary election indicates that benefits to the state from SB445 will likely be invisible.

Legislation that extends the lengthy election cycle from November to November is not wise given that voters are already avoiding polls in record numbers. Any move that force-feeds them more politics through Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day holidays might be considered cruel and inhumane.

Election laws that fail to put the well-being of Arkansas’ voters first are misguided in my opinion. The hardworking county clerks, election coordinators, poll workers and election commissioners also deserve consideration. Concerns of these dedicated citizens should never be ignored or ever fall behind the wishes of legislators, candidates, pollsters, consultants or political parties, but SB445 does just that. There seems to be no concern for the people on the ground that have a most complex and difficult job of “building” an election from the ground up and delivering those ballots to the people on election day.

Awise older federal legislator once told me that the first consideration for all legislation was to ensure that it “did no harm.” Given the current political environment, causing our presidential primary elections to become a moving target for voters will do harm.

With voter apathy and distrust of our system running at fever pitch, SB445 will only cause more resentment. From a practical standpoint, asking county clerks to take more time away from their families during the holidays and adding more stress to their offices, which interferes with duties associated with closing out the year’s books, should be avoided. Also, SB445 is far more likely to cause election duties to be interrupted by inclement weather while training poll workers and transporting expensive voting equipment to polling sites. Ice storms, cold snaps and hazardous roads are not so common in May!

Please re-think SB445 and bring in some election experts who can relate their concerns about this change that, in all honesty, seem to have been left out of the considerations.

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