§ 7-5-310 - Privacy -- Assistance to disabled voters. - Arkansas Statutes

7-5-310. Privacy -- Assistance to disabled voters.

(a) Each voter shall be provided the privacy to mark his or her ballot. Privacy shall be provided by the poll workers at each polling site or by the county clerk, if the county clerk conducts early voting, to ensure that a voter desiring privacy is not singled out.

(b) (1) A voter shall inform the poll workers at the time that the voter presents himself or herself to vote that he or she is unable to mark or cast the ballot without help and needs assistance in casting his or her ballot.

(2) The voter shall be directed to a voting machine equipped for use by persons with disabilities by which he or she may elect to cast his or her ballot without assistance, or the voter may request assistance with either the paper ballot or the voting machine, depending on the voting system in use for the election, by:

(A) Two (2) poll workers; or

(B) A person named by the voter.

(3) If the voter is assisted by two (2) poll workers, one (1) of the poll workers shall observe the voting process and one (1) may assist the voter in marking and casting the ballot according to the wishes of the voter without comment or interpretation.

(4) (A) If the voter is assisted by one (1) person named by the voter, he or she may assist the voter in marking and casting the ballot according to the wishes of the voter without any comment or interpretation.

(B) No person other than the following shall assist more than six (6) voters in marking and casting a ballot at an election:

(i) A poll worker;

(ii) The county clerk during early voting; or

(iii) A deputy county clerk during early voting.

(5) It shall be the duty of the poll workers at the polling site to make and maintain a list of the names and addresses of all persons assisting voters.

(c) Any voter who because of physical, sensory, or other disability who presents himself or herself for voting and who then informs a poll worker at the polling site that he or she is unable to stand in line for extended periods of time shall be entitled to and assisted by a poll worker to advance to the head of any line of voters then waiting in line to vote at the polling site.