A lawsuit out of Crittenden County is challenging the decision of the county Election Commission not to have any early voting locations in West Memphis ahead of the 2024 general election. The hearing on the lawsuit involved testimony from Frank Barton III, chairman of the Board of Election Commissioners, who admitted to being one of two Republican commissioners on the three-person board. The decision not to have early voting locations in West Memphis is seen by many as a Republican effort to limit the ability of people in Democratic-leaning areas to vote. Barton testified that the clerk could not designate an early voting location outside the county seat, which is Marion, despite the lack of a specific requirement in the statute. The hearing concluded with Judge Chris Thyer expressing difficulty in making a ruling due to the lack of clarity in the statutes and existing case law. It may take until the weekend for a ruling to be issued. The lawsuit stemmed from a disagreement among commissioners over the location of early voting in West Memphis, with no unanimous decision leading to the chair declaring there would be no early voting in West Memphis in 2024. Despite this, County Clerk Paula Brown named the Seventh Street Church of Christ as the clerk’s designated early voting site, prompting the lawsuit. The court is being asked to declare that early voting should be held at the Seventh Street Church of Christ, the First Baptist Church, and any other locations deemed appropriate by the court. The case may ultimately be decided by the Arkansas Supreme Court to clarify the issues at hand.
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