More than 4,000 registered voters in Washington County went to the polls on the first day of early voting yesterday. Benton County saw an even higher first-day turnout, more than 6,500 voters.
Kimberly Dennison is the election coordinator for Benton County. She says after a slow primary election, days like yesterday can catch the staff off guard.
“So the general comes around and we kind of underprepare because of what our primaries look like. And then we have days like yesterday and we’re like, ‘Oh, well, they’re out to prove us wrong.’ So it’s very, very hard to judge, to tell you the truth.
“But I will tell you, our voter registration numbers have grown leaps and bounds in Benton County as well. And so for our numbers to be increasing like they are in voter registration, it’s kind of to be expected that our numbers are going to be higher during early voting as well.”
Dennison says they have 15 locations across Benton County, stretching from Gravette, Siloam Springs, Pea Ridge, Garfield and even down into Lowell, that are open for the entire two weeks of early voting.
“They double as Election Day sites come Election Day, too. So people kind of get a sense of what’s open for two weeks, and then they can show up there on Election Day even to be able to vote.”
She says county offices will not be Election Day sites. Those will be used as spaces the public can observe processing of absentee ballots and waiting for Election Day results.
You can find more details about the election when you visit our website, kuaf.com/vote26.
Kimberly Dennison is the election coordinator for Benton County. We spoke on the phone this morning.
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