Arkansas GOP runs off the best election commissioners in the state.
SEARCY COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION RESIGNS
Sept. 18, 2026; Marshall, AR – All three members of the Searcy County Election Commission, both Republicans and one Democrat, resigned today due to concerns over inaccurate voter lists and potential unjust reprisal from the State Board of Election Commissioners.
Earlier this year the commission, working with the state’s GIS office and strongly encouraged by the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissions, oversaw a redistricting effort that reduced the county’s election precincts from 15 to seven. The commission was assured the process of assigning voters to the newly designated precinct parts would be simple, straightforward, and easily accomplished within the given time frame. However, as coordinators began preparing ballots they noticed potential errors in voter distribution and precinct designations.
When notified, the County Clerk’s Office, which is solely responsible for adjusting the voter list and precinct numbering, assured the commissioners that everything was correct and they could move forward with the ballot process. It soon became obvious there were significant errors and so the commission contacted the Secretary of State’s office and the State Board. Attempts to correct the many errors in the reassignment of voters and precinct parts put ballot completion two weeks late, pushing against several legal deadlines.
In an emergency meeting between the commissioners and Chris Madison, director of the State Board, the commissioners expressed their concern that they could not be assured voters would be assigned the correct ballots. Since working in the voter database, Power Profile, is off limits to commissioners, they asked about their liability if voters were given the wrong ballots on election day. Madison pointed out that commissioners and clerks were equally responsible for providing correct ballots to the county’s voters and they would be held equally liable if the law was violated.
After researching the relevant law, ACA 7-1-104(a)(13), the commissioners learned that “knowingly giving the wrong ballot” is a class D felony, punishable by up to six years in jail and fines of up to $10,000.
Laurie Gross, chairman of the Searcy County Commission, said, “In most cases, and working on a level playing field, I would simply buckle down and do what I have been trained to do to ensure that did not happen. That is my job. However, over the past three years the State Board has, withheld important training and then punished us for not knowing obscure facts, falsely accused us, attempted to decertify us, and threatened to prosecute us for ethics violations they must have known did not occur. Although we have successfully defended against and been absolved of the Board’s accusations in the past, I cannot in good conscience risk another round of accusations, court appearances, attorney costs, and the incredible amount of time such activities steal from all the other responsibilities in my life.”
Commissioner Ken Weekly said, “The Searcy County Election Commissioners and coordinators do not control or have direct access to the ES&S Power Profile program, nor can they enter this data or directly verify its accuracy. Access to the program and responsibility for accurate data entry rest with the County Clerk’s office. Although the Commission has no authority over the Clerk’s office we are still being held accountable for ensuring that every voter receives the correct ballot. Any violation of Arkansas Election Law can be construed as a Class D felony. I personally will not undergo a repeat of past allegations, accusations, and charges inflicted by the Arkansas State Election Commission that as a sole entity generates their own complaints, issues charges, then investigates, prosecutes, and sanctions county election commissioners.”
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