ARKANSAS CITY — Early voting has been underway in the state since May 9, but Desha County clerk Valerie Donaldson said their new election commissioners are not using best practices for those casting their ballot, according to a KATV report
Donaldson told KATV, Watson City Hall is one of the eight other voting centers where people in the county could place their votes, except the Desha County Courthouse. She said the the methods used by county election commissioners to collect those votes are not too popular.
"Voters don't feel secure with hands on those actual ballots. It's very easy to look at who received the votes," Donaldson said.
According to Donaldson, based on the county early voting schedule, early voting sites change frequently. She said her concern was the ballots were picked up when early voting was finished at each location.
"They elected me to watch out for them and I've been out of the loop. I've not been able to have a lot to do with elections because the commissioners just really haven't responded to this office very well," she said.
Donaldson told KATV the county commissioners are taping the votes together and placing them in envelopes. Commissioner Tommy Peacock confirmed they are collecting those votes in this manner. Donaldson believes there is a hidden agenda as to why her office has not been asked to be involved with elections this year. She said the county primarily votes democratic.
"I think it's just that political environment that we're in. Everything seems to be heated and I believe that's the cause," Donaldson said.
According to Donaldson, she's held the position of county clerk for 10 years, and in the at time frame early voting has been organized with the aid of her office and county commissioners. She said there might be a possibility of a recount on election night.
"That's a big possibility, if that happens we'll have to do that. I'm hoping that we won't," she said.
Donaldson said she has reached out to the office of the secretary of state, attorney general, and state board of elections to be sure the actions of the county commissioners are not illegal. She said for several days the county commissioners have started using locked boxes to place Desha county votes. Donaldson told KATV this method should've been utilized when early voting started.
"We want the public to feel safe when it comes to their votes, you know too many people died for that right and we just have to make sure every votes counted fairly," she said.
Officials with the Desha County Election Commission told KATV they have contacted the state board of elections and secretary of state about the measures they have taken. They said those two offices said their county commission is in compliance.
As of Monday, 906 people in Desha County have cast their ballots which represents nearly 13 percent of their voter turnout.
