Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed an executive order Friday that will allow anyone with concerns about voting during the COVID-19 pandemic to qualify for an absentee ballot.
Anticipating a large rise in absentee voters, Hutchinson is also allowing county clerks more time to prepare absentee ballots. The governor said at a COVID-19 briefing on Friday that he would provide details about the executive order later.
Previously, Arkansas law limited voting by mail to those who are “unavoidably absent” or unavailable because of an illness or disability. In June, three Arkansans filed a lawsuit against Arkansas’ Secretary of State for what they considered unconstitutional voting restrictions. A week later, Hutchinson announced that those worried about COVID-19 would qualify to vote absentee.
“On this issue, when it comes to easier access to the polls and a safe environment during COVID-19 … we are all in agreement,” Hutchinson said during a news conference last month.