An act TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ABSENTEE BALLOTS, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas             As Engrossed: H4/3/25
2 95th General Assembly
                                     A Bill

3 Regular Session, 2025                                            HOUSE BILL 1925

4

5 By: Representative Beaty Jr.

6 By: Senator Gilmore

7

8                               For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ABSENTEE BALLOTS;

10  TO AMEND THE ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTER STATEMENT; TO

11  REQUIRE A WITNESS FOR THE SIGNATURE OF AN ABSENTEE

12  VOTER STATEMENT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

13

14

15                                         Subtitle

16                       AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING

17                       ABSENTEE BALLOTS; TO AMEND THE ABSENTEE

18                       BALLOT VOTER STATEMENT; AND TO REQUIRE A

19                       WITNESS FOR THE SIGNATURE OF AN ABSENTEE

20                       VOTER STATEMENT.

21

22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

23

24  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 7-5-409(b)(4)(A)(iii), concerning the

25 materials furnished to qualified electors for absentee ballots, is amended to

26 read as follows:

27                              (iii) The voter statement shall include the

28 following statement in bold capitalized letters at the bottom of the page: "I

29 AM DULY QUALIFIED TO VOTE AT THIS ELECTION ACCORDING TO THE ARKANSAS

30 CONSTITUTION, I HAVE NOT YET VOTED DURING THIS ELECTION, THE BALLOT OR

31 BALLOTS CONTAINED IN THIS ENVELOPE IS MY BALLOT, AND I HAVE RECEIVED NO

32 ASSISTANCE IN VOTING MY BALLOT THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENTITLED TO RECEIVE

33 HAD I VOTED IN PERSON AT MY VOTING PRECINCT. THE INFORMATION I HAVE PROVIDED

34 IS TRUE TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY. IF I HAVE

35 PROVIDED FALSE INFORMATION, I MAY BE SUBJECT TO A FINE OF UP TO TEN THOUSAND

36 DOLLARS ($10,000) OR IMPRISONMENT FOR UP TO TEN (10) YEARS, OR BOTH, UNDER

    *SSS304*                                                       04-03-2025 12:13:10 SSS304
    As Engrossed: H4/3/25                                                   HB1925

1 FEDERAL OR STATE LAWS."

2

3          SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 7-5-409(b)(4)(C), concerning the materials

4 furnished to qualified electors for absentee ballots, is amended to read as

5 follows:

6           (C)(i) The voter statement shall include a sworn statement

7 portion that may be completed by the voter stating that the voter is

8 registered to vote and that he or she is the person who is registered.

9                          (ii) The sworn statement portion of the voter

10 statement is not required to be notarized, but the voter shall execute the

11 sworn statement under penalty of perjury.

12                         (iii)(a) The signing of the sworn statement shall be

13 witnessed by at least one (1) individual who is eighteen (18) years of age or

14 older.

15                         (b) The witnessing requirement under

16 subdivision (b)(4)(C)(iii)(a) of this section shall not apply to a voter who

17 has applied for his or her absentee ballot due to one (1) of the following,

18 as evidenced by his or her absentee voting application:

19                                     (1) The voter is unable to attend the

20 polls on election day because of an illness or physical disability;

21                                     (2) The voter is a resident of a long-

22 term care or residential facility licensed by the state;

23                                     (3) The voter is unable to attend the

24 polls on election day due to an observance of a religious discipline or

25 religious holiday; or

26                                     (4) The voter:

27                                            (a) Is in active service as a

28 member of the armed services of the United States or the voter is a spouse or

29 a dependent of a person who is in active service as a member of the armed

30 services of the United States; and

31                                            (b) Resides outside the county.

32          (D) Blank fields shall be provided for the witness of the

33 sworn statement's signature to provide his or her:

34                         (i) Printed name;

35                         (ii) Signature; and

36                         (iii) Mailing address;

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         As Engrossed: H4/3/25                HB1925

 1                              /s/Beaty Jr.
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