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 A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1064
4
5 By: Representative D. Whitaker
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ABSENTEE VOTING;
10 TO ALLOW PERSONS OVER SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE TO VOTE
11 BY ABSENTEE BALLOT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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14 Subtitle
15 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ABSENTEE
16 VOTING; AND TO ALLOW PERSONS OVER SIXTY-
17 FIVE YEARS OF AGE TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE
18 BALLOT.
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20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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22 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 7-5-402 is amended to read as follows:
23 7-5-402. Voter qualification.
24 The following persons, if possessing the qualifications of electors,
25 may cast an absentee ballot in any election:
26 (1) Any person who will be unavoidably absent from his or her
27 voting place on the day of the election;
28 (2) Any person who will be unable to attend the polls on
29 election day because of illness or physical disability; and
30 (3) Any person who is prevented from voting due to observance of
31 a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire twelve (12)
32 hours that the polls are open on election day.; and
33 (4) Any person who is over sixty-five (65) years of age on
34 election day.
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36 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 7-5-404(b)(2), concerning the requirements
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1 of the county clerk to mail an application for an absentee ballot, is amended
2 to add an additional subdivision to read as follows:
3 (E)(i) For a voter who is over sixty-five (65) years of
4 age on election day, the application shall remain in effect for one (1)
5 calendar year unless withdrawn by the voter.
6 (ii) No later than twenty-five (25) days before each
7 election during the calendar year in which a voter has applied for an
8 absentee ballot under subdivision (b)(2)(E)(i) of this section, the county
9 clerk shall mail an absentee ballot for each election.
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11 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code � 7-5-405(a)(2)(B), concerning the required
12 statement for a voter requesting an absentee ballot, is amended to read as
13 follows:
14 (B) A statement in which the voter must indicate that he
15 or she is requesting an absentee ballot because he or she will be:
16 (i) Unavoidably absent from the polling site on
17 election day;
18 (ii) Unable to attend the polls on election day
19 because of illness or physical disability;
20 (iii) Unable to attend the polls on election day
21 because of residence in a long-term care or residential facility licensed by
22 the state; or
23 (iv) Unable to attend the polls due to observance of
24 a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire twelve (12)
25 hours that the polls are open on election day; or
26 (v) Over sixty-five (65) years of age on election
27 day;
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29 SECTION 4. Arkansas Code � 7-5-405(b)(2), concerning persons the
30 Secretary of State may prescribe separate absentee ballot application forms
31 for, is amended to read as follows:
32 (2)(A) Persons whose application would be valid for one (1)
33 calendar year.
34 (B) This includes the following:
35 (i) Persons who reside outside the county in which
36 they are registered to vote;
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HB1064
1 (ii) Persons in long-term care or residential
2 facilities licensed by the state; and
3 (iii) Voters with disabilities; and
4 (iv) Persons who are over sixty-five (65) years of
5 age on election day; and
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3 12/11/2024 11:57:08 AMEvery fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.