Perry County election officials will file a complaint with the state Board of Election Commissioners claiming the Two Rivers School District denied patrons in that county a chance to vote in Tuesday's millage election.
The school sought to extend a millage to pay for a safe room at the elementary school after a tornado touched down near the school in Ola last summer. The proposal failed, 487 votes against to 342 votes in favor.
Perry County Election Commission Chairman Jeffery Olmsted said the school district failed to notify voters in Perry County of Tuesday's election and some Perry County voters had to drive 45 minutes to cast ballots at one of three polling places in Yell County.
The 830-student school district serves both Perry and Yell counties. About 10 percent of its students live in Perry County, said Superintendent Michael Dean.
"We didn't find out until the Friday before early voting began [on Sept. 12]," said Don Shamsie, chairman of the Perry County Republican Party. "We had several people provide shuttle services to take voters to the polls Tuesday."
Olmstead blames the Two Rivers School District for failing to notify Perry County residents of the election and for eliminating polling places in the county.
Dean said Wednesday that he requested the Yell County Election Commission recommend opening six polling places, including one in Casa in Perry County. That request was denied, Dean said. Instead, Two Rivers School District voters cast ballots Tuesday at the Plainview Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Ola Community Center and Danville First Baptist Church.
Early voting was held at the Yell County courthouses in Danville and Dardanelle last week.
"We felt like we did the appropriate thing," Dean said. "There was never an intent to hurt anyone."
He said state law requires that schools notify the county they are in that they are requesting an election. Two Rivers School District's campus is in Yell County.
Olmsted said he felt that the denial of polling places in Perry County was done to save money.
"It's just a tactic," he said. "It's a matter of economics."
Cheryl Brannon, a Yell County deputy clerk, said the school is responsible for paying for its election. The fee is primarily based upon the number of voters, but additional costs are accrued when more polling places are opened, she said.
"We had quite a few calls," she said, referring to the number of Perry County residents who complained about the lack of polling places in their county.
Perry County election commissioners met after Tuesday's election and decided to file the complaint with the state Board of Election Commissioners, which is under the Arkansas Secretary of State.
"We'll write it and take it to the county attorney," Olmstead said.
He said he intends to file the complaint no later than Wednesday.
"Everything needs to be transparent," Shamsie said. "There is accountability. That's what we want."
Dean said he did not intend to slight any voter and said he would welcome a lawsuit that would require a second vote since patrons turned down the millage extension proposal.
"That's fine," he said. "I'm willing to revote on this."
State Desk on 09/21/2017