No Ballots Spell Election Concerns In Benton County

POSTED: 3:22 pm CDT October 20, 2006
UPDATED: 3:49 pm CDT October 20, 2006
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. Election officials in Benton County said voting troubles are already upon them, although Election Day is many days away.

The county didn't receive any of the 80,000 ballots it ordered for the Nov. 7 election in time to mail them to absentee voters, and many people have been calling to complain.

A Nebraska company Election Systems and Software was contracted by the state to provide new voting equipment and software to Arkansas' counties this year, and a company official said some Benton County ballots should arrive on Friday. The company said all of the Benton County ballots should reach the county by Tuesday.

About 620 county residents are waiting for absentee ballots. Early voting begins Monday, and electronic voting machines will be available in the county if the paper ballots haven't arrived.

Election Systems and Software also took heat in the May primary for delays in delivering voting equipment and training election workers.