SB247

Senate Bill 247 amends Arkansas law regarding voter qualifications for absentee ballots. The bill explicitly adds 'observance of a religious discipline or religious holiday' as a valid reason for a voter to cast an absentee ballot. Specifically, this applies if the voter's religious observance prevents them from attending the polls during the entire twelve hours that the polls are open on election day. The bill updates both the general qualification criteria and the official application form for absentee ballots to include this new category. By doing so, the legislation seeks to accommodate voters whose religious obligations conflict with in-person voting hours on election day.