WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. – Early voting is off to a strong start in Lawrence County, according to local election officials.
Voting began at 8 a.m. Monday at the Lawrence County Courthouse, where County Clerk Brandi Parker observed an unusually high turnout. Within the first three hours, Parker said she had unofficially tallied more than 70 voters—well above the average of 30 to 40 voters typically seen during that period on the first day of early voting.
“There’s a lot of times during early voting that we may not even reach 80 voters in a day,” Parker stated. “So within three hours, we’re almost there. The turnout’s looking pretty good so far.”
Parker emphasized the importance of early voting, noting that it allows residents more flexibility, especially in case unforeseen circumstances arise on Election Day.
“Life happens, circumstances happen,” she explained. “That’s why we always encourage people to early vote. A lot of times people do like to vote on Election Day, but sometimes things just happen that you can’t plan for.”
In Lawrence County, voters will weigh in on statewide races and ballot measures, along with local issues, including a proposed millage increase to improve roads and a sales tax increase for the city of Black Rock. Sample ballots for each ward and district are available both at the County Clerk’s office and outside the voting site.
Early voting will continue through next week at the courthouse. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
For more details on voting or local ballot measures, residents are encouraged to contact the County Clerk's office.