Voter registration center
With Arkansans
Every registration story is local—paper, patience, and people who help neighbors get across the line.
2026 general election
Dates you need to know
These are the neighbor-facing dates from the Arkansas Secretary of State 2026 election calendar. County clerks set early-voting sites and can confirm that your paper application arrived.
Monday, October 5, 2026
Register to vote
Deadline to apply for the November 3 general election. Mail is dated by the postmark. If you are close to the deadline, apply in person with your county clerk.
Monday, October 19, 2026
Early voting begins
In-person early voting is 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Monday–Friday and 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Saturday. Your county clerk posts the sites.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Absentee application by mail, fax, or email
County clerk must receive the absentee ballot application by this date if you send it by mail, fax, or email.
Friday, October 30, 2026
In-person absentee application or return
Last day to apply in person for an absentee ballot, or to hand-deliver a completed absentee ballot, by the close of regular clerk hours.
Monday, November 2, 2026
Last day of early voting
Early voting ends at 5:00 p.m. the Monday before Election Day.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Election Day
Polls are open 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Mailed absentee ballots must reach the county clerk by 7:30 p.m., except military and overseas voters who have a later received-by date.
Tuesday, December 1, 2026
County and municipal runoff (if needed)
Only if a local race needs a runoff. Register by Monday, November 2, 2026 to vote in that election. Polls 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Arkansas does not register voters online. If you are close to October 5, take a paper application to your county clerk. Official calendar and registration rules: 2026 election calendar (PDF) · Secretary of State voter registration.
Paper registration — that’s how it works here
Arkansas does not offer online voter registration. Most new voters use a paper application (or in-person paths the county clerk can explain). If you are not sure where to start, we will connect you with the campaign so a volunteer can follow up—whether you need a form, a ride, or someone to double-check the basics before you file.
Future service model
A voter education hub, not a scavenger hunt
Kelly believes the Secretary of State should be proactive about voter education: clear dates, clear steps, plain-language ballot information, and explanations people can replay or share.
Key dates
The 2026 dates are on this page now — registration October 5, early voting October 19 through November 2, Election Day November 3. A Secretary of State office should keep that calendar this clear every cycle.
What is on the ballot
Voters deserve plain-language explanations of offices, measures, and what a vote can actually change.
How voting works
Early voting, absentee voting, ID questions, polling places, county clerk roles, and election commission roles should be explained before confusion spreads.
Results and trust
Public education should explain counting timelines, certification, safeguards, and audits in language people can understand.
The goal is service, not spin: a modern office should help Arkansans understand how to use their vote and where official answers live.
Did You Know Arkansas?
A future Secretary of State voter education series should answer one useful question at a time, send people to official sources, and make the process feel understandable before misinformation has room to grow.
One clear action
Registration checks, absentee deadlines, polling place lookup, and voter plans should each get their own simple explainer.
Official trust signals
Every post, video, and flyer should train voters to use official links and local election offices for final answers.
Myth clarification
Plain-language FAQs can explain audits, chain of custody, certification, voting machines, and what happens after polls close.
Election snapshots
After elections, visual summaries can show how Arkansans participated, how reporting moved, and what the numbers mean.
Help
Get registration help
Staff and volunteers can walk you through deadlines, same-day options where applicable, and what to do if something looks wrong.
Neighbors
Refer someone for help
If someone you know needs a hand, send them here—or walk through the official lookup together on a call.
Teams
Join a county registration team
We pair volunteers with local leads—especially in the run-up to the registration deadline.