Jefferson County Election Commissioners agreed unanimously to reprint ballots for the March 5 primary after the original ballots included races for each ward on the Pine Bluff City Council.
Commission Chairman Michael Adam said at a special meeting Wednesday that state election commission Director Chris Madison brought to his attention the incorrect ballots. Each ballot is only to include the races in the ward that correspond with the voter’s precinct number.
“We have corrected that for early and election day ballots,” Adam said, adding the absentee ballots have already been sent.
Only the ward races in each absentee voter’s ballot will be counted, Adam said. The Jefferson County voter registration office has the precinct number for each voter, he said, and the tabulators, which were being programmed inside the county Election Commission office, will tabulate the correct races as well.
“Most people won’t even notice it,” Adam said. “It will have no effect on any of the candidates.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson confirmed the Justices of the Peace have also granted the Election Commission’s request for $200,000 to cover the cost of the election and, if necessary, any runoff. Adam said the county will be reimbursed by the state for the costs.
To win, Adam said, one must have attained 40% of the votes but be 20% or more ahead of the second-place candidate.
“So, if you’ve got 40 and someone else has 21, there’s a runoff.”
Early voting for the primary election, which includes (but is not limited to) contested partisan races for president; state representative; Pine Bluff city offices of mayor, clerk, treasurer and council member; Jefferson County justices of the peace; and constables in Vaugine and Spring townships begins Feb. 20 at the Jefferson County courthouse.