Your vote matters, and completing your Arkansas voting registration is the first step to making your voice heard. Whether you’re a first-time voter, a new resident, or someone updating their information, this guide walks you through everything you need to know to get registered in The Natural State.
Who Can Register to Vote in Arkansas?
Before you start, confirm you meet the eligibility requirements. You must: For proper Arkansas voting registration, meeting each eligibility point is essential.
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be an Arkansas resident in the county where you register
- Be 18 years old on or before Election Day
- Not be a person with felony convictions whose sentence hasn’t been fully discharged or pardoned
- Not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court regarding your ability to vote
If you’ll turn 18 on or before Election Day, you can pre-register now, so you’re ready to vote the moment you’re eligible. This ensures your Arkansas voter registration is completed ahead of time.
Know Your Deadline
You must submit or postmark your registration no later than 30 days before the election in which you want to participate. Don’t wait until the last minute and give yourself plenty of time for your Arkansas registration to reach officials.
3 Ways to Register
1. Register In Person
Arkansas residents can register in person at their county clerk’s office, any AR ODS location, any public library or Arkansas State Library, any public assistance or disability agency, any military recruitment or National Guard office, or at local voter registration drives. Registering in person is the most reliable method, especially close to a deadline. This is one way to complete your Arkansas voting registration face-to-face.
2. Register by Mail
Download Arkansas’s state registration form, fill it out on paper, sign it, and mail it to your county clerk. For mail applications, the date of postmark counts as the submission date, which is important for your Arkansas voting registration by mail process.
3. Use an Online Form Filler Tool
Vote.gov offers an accessible online form filler tool that provides step-by-step instructions for voters in Arkansas; though you’ll still need to print, sign, and mail the completed form to finish your registration. Note that Arkansas does not offer fully online voter registration, but this tool makes the Arkansas voting registration steps clearer.
After You Register: Follow Up!
Submitting your application does not automatically mean you’re registered. Once your local county clerk processes your application, they’ll send you a personalized voter registration card, and this could take several weeks. Never assume you are registered to vote until you have received that card verifying your Arkansas voting registration.
You can also check your voter registration status online by visiting VoteView.org and confirming your Arkansas voting registration details.
Moved or Changed Your Name? Update Your Registration
If you have moved from one county to another within Arkansas, you must update your information with the county clerk before casting your ballot. Arkansas law requires you to register where you actually live. Owning property or working in another county doesn’t count, so your Arkansas voting registration must reflect your current residence.
What to Bring When You Vote
Once you complete your Arkansas voting registration, bring a valid photo ID to the polls. Your ID must show your name and photo, be issued by the United States, the State of Arkansas, or an accredited postsecondary institution in Arkansas, and cannot be expired by more than four years before Election Day.
Accepted IDs include a driver’s license, U.S. passport, concealed handgun carry license, military ID, student ID from an Arkansas university, or a voter verification card, all accessible after successfully navigating the Arkansas voting registration process.
If you don’t have an acceptable ID when you vote, you can cast a provisional ballot, but you’ll have until noon on the first Monday following the election to provide valid identification, at which point your Arkansas voting registration will be verified.
Your Arkansas voting registration is your ticket to civic participation. Take 10 minutes today and get it done!