SB435

Senate Bill 435 amends Arkansas law to ensure that voters casting ballots in person at vote centers have the option to use a hand-marked paper ballot. The bill requires that at least one vote center per county, specifically the one closest to the county courthouse, must provide these paper ballots upon request. It mandates that the Secretary of State establish rules and standards for the availability and security of these ballots. Additionally, the bill introduces a penalty for election officials who knowingly or purposefully refuse a voter's request for a paper ballot at a designated location, classifying such a violation as a Class C misdemeanor. However, the bill provides a legal defense for poll workers if their failure to provide a ballot is due to a lack of supply provided by the county board of election commissioners or the county clerk.