Early-voting details have been approved by the Crittenden County Board of Elections. Its decisions will require final approval from the state, but will likely stand, as they fall within legal parameters.
The May 17 Primary Election will be held form 6 a.m., to 6 p.m., but there will be other opportunities to cast votes.
Paper ballots can begin being requested on April 2. They will be available until May 3. Paper ballots must be received at the county clerk’s office by May 17.
There will be six days of what’s called “excused absentee in-person voting” for anyone who will be out of town on election day, or have another approved excuse. Ballots for individuals qualifying to absentee in-person voting will 8 a.m., to 4:30 p.m., in the county clerk’s office May 4-6 and May 9-11.
Lastly, there will be three early-voting days where ballots can be cast inside the law library on the main floor of the Crittenden County Courthouse. Those opportunities are for anyone in the county and voting
can be done from 8 a.m., to 4 p.m.On election day, voters are reminded that there will be fewer polling places in the county this year. Some of the traditional voting sites in Tolu, Grace Baptist in Frances and at the Crittenden County Public Library are being eliminated. However, anyone, no matter their voting precinct, will be able to cast a ballot at the new countywide voting center, which will be at Marion Baptist Church.
The county’s former 12 voting locations will be consolidated to five for the first time during the May primary. Precinct voting locations that will remain open in 2022 are Mexico Baptist Church, Shady Grove Volunteer Fire Department, Mattoon Volunteer Fire Department, Deer Creek Church in Sheridan and Marion Baptist Church on East Depot Street.
County leaders last week approved pay for early-voting poll workers at $100 per day. There will be four workers hired to cover each of the three early-voting dates.
