PEBs expected this week; early voting begins Monday

Five workers approved to work site at courthouse

Published: October 19, 2006

Alan Smith, Forrest City Times-Herald

The St. Francis County Election Commission learned Wednesday night that Personal Electronic Ballots (PEBs) for early voting in the general election could be in by the end of this week. Early voting is scheduled to begin Monday.

Election Coordinator Judy Armstrong told the commission that after speaking with officials at Election Systems & Software, the PEBs should be in this week.

“I’ve spoken to ES&S, and hopefully we will have the PEBs on Friday, no later than Saturday,” said Armstrong. “There is still no word from the printing folks on the paper ballots. As soon as I hear from them, I’ll call you. We do have the proofs (of the paper ballots). If we absolutely need some, we could use those, but we would have to hand count them.”

Chairman Frederick Freeman commented that he did not want the situation to come to having to use proofs.

Freeman also commented on other early voting issues.

“I have secured the quorum court room (in the St. Francis County Courthouse) for early voting,” said Freeman. “I have also been given verbal approval on all voting sites for the election.”

According to Freeman, early voting hours will be from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. He also mentioned that there would be at least one Saturday that voting would be held, but no times or date were given.

Freeman said that he had a list of five people to work early voting, but mentioned that more may be needed. “All of them have worked early voting in the past. I’d like to approve these five and look at adding a sixth or maybe even a seventh worker since we will have Saturday voting.”

The names of the five workers for early voting are B.J. Griffin, May Gladys Hicks, Francis Ellis, Delores Moreland and Nequlia Tucker. The members unanimously approved all five workers.

Freeman also addressed the issue of having what he called “monitors” at polling sites the day of the election. “With all of these mayoral elections going on, some people have expressed to me concern about people being turned away or people not being treated right at some locations. We may want to look into having monitors at the locations. These would be people who would watch over and make sure things are going right. We may want to even look at people from the central office (of the state election commission).”

In other news, Freeman told the commission about an issue concerning a piece of election equipment.

“As you know, we have been talking to them (ES&S) about the issue of our 650 Central Tabulator machine,” stated Freeman. “I had a conversation with Craig Seibert of ES&S at a commissioners meeting in Little Rock. I spoke to him about giving them $8,000 cash and trading equipment, six M100s and a 150 Central Tabulator, and in return we would get the 650 Central Tabulator. It looked like it would work. Then I receive an e-mail from Craig that says they won’t accept a trade. The request was approved by the quorum court. The e-mail says for us to eat the whole cost over two years. Maybe we should have Fletcher Long (county attorney) write them a letter. We have the machine, we just need ES&S to make some concessions.”