Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H1/16/25 H3/20/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1037
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5 By: Representatives A. Collins, D. Garner, Gonzales Worthen, Springer
6 By: Senator C. Tucker
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO CREATE THE PREREGISTRATION TO VOTE ACT; TO
10 AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING PERSONS WHO MAY
11 REGISTER TO VOTE; TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF ARKANSAS
12 CONSTITUTION, AMENDMENT 51, UNDER THE AUTHORITY
13 GRANTED BY ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION, AMENDMENT 51, � 19;
14 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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16
17 Subtitle
18 AN ACT TO CREATE THE PREREGISTRATION TO
19 VOTE ACT; AND TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF
20 ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION, AMENDMENT 51,
21 UNDER THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY ARKANSAS
22 CONSTITUTION, AMENDMENT 51, � 19.
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24 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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26 SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. TITLE. This act shall be known and may be
27 cited as the "Preregistration to Vote Act."
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29 SECTION 2. DO NOT CODIFY. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.
30 (a) The General Assembly finds that:
31 (1) Arkansas ranks forty-ninth (49th) among states in voter
32 registration and forty-eighth (48th) among states in voter turnout;
33 (2) High voter turnout helps ensure that the will of the people
34 will be respected by government, confers legitimacy on government,
35 strengthens popular trust in government, and enforces government
36 accountability;
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1 (3) The voting age is fixed by the United States Constitution at
2 eighteen (18) years of age;
3 (4) Twenty-eight (28) other states allow preregistration, in
4 which a person may register before eighteen (18) years of age but not vote
5 until eighteen (18) years of age;
6 (5) Research shows preregistration to have positive and
7 significant effects on voter turnout; and
8 (6) Research shows preregistration to be equally effective for
9 Republican and Democratic registrants.
10 (b) It is the intent of this act to allow preregistration for persons
11 seventeen (17) years of age before reaching eighteen (18) years of age.
12
13 SECTION 3. Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 51, �
14 6(a)(6)(B),concerning voter registration application forms, is amended under
15 the authority granted by Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 51, � 19, to read
16 as follows:
17 (B) "Will you be eighteen (18) years of age on or before
18 election day Are you seventeen (17) years of age or older?";
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20 SECTION 4. Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 51, � 9(a), concerning
21 applications to register to vote, is amended under the authority granted by
22 Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 51, � 19, to read as follows:
23 (a) All persons may register who:
24 (1) Have not been convicted of a felony unless the person's
25 sentence has been discharged or the person has been pardoned;
26 (2) Have not been adjudged mentally incompetent by a court of
27 competent jurisdiction; and
28 (3) Meet one (1) of the following requirements:
29 (A) Are qualified electors who have not previously
30 registered;
31 (B) Will Except as provided in subsection (m) of this
32 section, will become qualified electors during the thirty-day period
33 immediately prior to the next election scheduled within the county; or
34 (C) Are seventeen (17) years of age and eligible to
35 register under subsection (m) of this section; or
36 (C)(D) Are otherwise qualified electors but whose
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1 registration has been cancelled in a manner provided for by this amendment.
2 (4) Are citizens of the United States.
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4 SECTION 5. Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 51, � 9, concerning
5 applications to register to vote, is amended under the authority granted by
6 Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 51, � 19, to add an additional subsection to
7 read as follows:
8 (m)(1)(A) A person who is seventeen (17) years of age who is otherwise
9 eligible to register to vote under subsection (a) of this section may
10 register under this section.
11 (B) A registered voter who is seventeen (17) years of age
12 shall not vote in an election before turning eighteen (18) years of age.
13 (2)(A) A person who is seventeen (17) years of age and registers
14 under this section shall be added to the voter registration list with a
15 designation that the person is not eligible to vote until the date he or she
16 turns eighteen (18) years of age.
17 (B) The designation under subdivision (m)(2)(A) of this
18 section shall be removed when the person turns eighteen (18) years of age.
19
20 SECTION 6. Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 41, � 14, is amended under
21 the authority granted by Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 51, � 19, to read
22 as follows:
23 � 14. Voter registration lists.
24 (a)(1) By the first day of June of each year, and at such other times
25 as may be practicable, all Permanent Registrars shall, and at their
26 discretion at other times may, print or otherwise duplicate and publish lists
27 of registered voters by precincts, and may distribute such lists pursuant to
28 �� 7-5-105 and 7-5-109.
29 (2) A copy of the most current such list in each precinct shall
30 be furnished to the election officials at each precinct at the time the
31 ballot boxes are delivered and such election officials shall post said list
32 at a conspicuous place in the polling area.
33 (b)(1) By the first day of June of each year, the Permanent Registrar
34 shall certify to the Secretary of State the total number of registered voters
35 in the county, including persons who are seventeen (17) years of age and have
36 registered under � 9(m) of this amendment.
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1 (2) The Secretary of State shall tabulate the total number of
2 registered voters in the state and shall make such information available to
3 interested persons upon request.
4 (3) The tabulation of registered voters shall include persons
5 who are seventeen (17) years of age and have registered under � 9(m) of this
6 amendment.
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8 /s/A. Collins
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4 03-20-2025 10:07:42 MBM015Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.