Arkansas voter registration data shows uptick after Harris launched presidential campaign

Arkansas recorded more voter registration submissions during the days immediately after the top of the Democratic ticket shifted from President Joe Biden to Vice President Kamala Harris than any other comparable time period this year, state data shows.

More than 4,800 Arkansans submitted voter registration forms to the secretary of state’s office following Biden’s announcement to not seek reelection and Harris’ campaign launch on July 21, according to an analysis of data as of Aug. 1.

Energy spikes in wake of Harris’ presidential endorsement, Arkansas Democrats say

“It’s always great to see people get excited about an election and people take more interest in democracy for whatever reason,” said Kristin Foster, deputy director of the voter advocacy group Get Loud Arkansas. “…When something big like this happens, it’s good to see people get energized rather than feel apathetic or see a negative response in it.”

The period from July 21 to Aug. 1 saw a 42% increase in voter registration submissions compared to the average number of forms submitted during similar time periods this year.

The secretary of state also logged more voter registration forms in July than any other month this year. With 12,474 total, July submissions were 17% higher than the next closest month of February. More than one third of the submissions in July were completed in the days after Biden’s announcement.

“Being an election year, there are, no doubt, voter registration drives happening all over the state at any given time,” said Chris Powell, spokesperson for the secretary of state’s office. “We would not be able to speculate as to the reason for a particular uptick during the time frame [of July 21 to Aug. 1]. However, we always encourage eligible Arkansans to register and participate in the voting process.”

Powell was unable to say if voter registration submissions historically increase after a candidate announcement.

The secretary of state’s office tracks Arkansas’ voter data by county and date of registration. While residents have the option to select a political party, most choose not to specify. The data does not include demographic details of the registrants except for their date of birth, which was used in the Advocate’s analysis.

Of the 4,857 voter registration forms submitted from July 21 to Aug. 1, approximately 2,000 were young voters, or people who will not yet be 30 years old when they cast their ballot on Election Day.

About 400 more young voters, an increase of about 29%, registered during the days immediately following Biden’s announcement compared to the average number of young people who filed during similar periods this year, data showed.

“We want to make sure that that excitement and hope and motivation to be involved in the process is a positive experience for them,” Foster said of young voters. “Unfortunately, if you look at participation rates … they’re pretty likely to turn out the first time, but if they have a negative experience, or if they feel like their vote isn’t reflective, isn’t making a difference, it’s very likely to see them not continue to vote in the next election.”

Paper process

Arkansas’ data aligns with a national trend of increased voter registrations following the presidential shake up, but it’s likely the full effect of Harris’ campaign in the state won’t be evident until later, Foster said.

Vote.org, a national nonprofit with the mission to increase voter turnout, reported at least 38,500 people across the country registered to vote in the 48-hours after Harris launched her presidential campaign. Approximately 83% of the registrations were young voters, according to a Vote.org press release on July 24.

That data does not include paper submissions, which is the only permitted filing method in Arkansas with the exception of electronic forms completed at specific state agencies, such as the DMV.

While residents in other states can use their computers or cellphones to register, Arkansans must travel to fill out forms or print out and mail their registration to county clerk offices.

“I think that if we had access to online voter registration like most other states do, we probably would have seen an even bigger increase because people could have taken immediate action,” Foster said.

Arkansas is also one of eight states that does not allow online voter registration. The state also ranks last in the nation for voter participation, according to a study from the National Conference on Citizenship.

Electronic signatures on voter registration forms are prohibited unless completed at specific state agencies. A lawsuit challenging this rule, filed by Get Loud Arkansas, has a hearing set for later this month.

The State Board of Election Commissioners approved a permanent rule requiring “wet signatures” on voter forms in July. Arkansas lawmakers will consider the rule for final implementation Thursday.

Arkansas election board approves voter registration rule

When asked if an online registration platform could lead to more registered voters, Chris Madison, director of the election commission, said his answer would be speculative because people would choose different avenues to complete the form.

“You have people that are willing to do it online, that are willing to do it by paper,” Madison said. “If you want to register to vote, it’s easy. If there’s ways to do it, people will get it done.”

Arkansas currently has more than 1.7 million registered voters, though the secretary of state’s office did not discern how many registrants are active and inactive. The highest count of registered voters is recorded in Pulaski County, the state’s most populous county.

Registered voters account for about 58% of Pulaski County’s population.

The state’s least populated county, Calhoun County in southeast Arkansas, has the lowest number of registered voters at 2,896, which makes up about 62% of its residents.

An additional benefit to the recent spike in registered voters is the likelihood that more people will get involved in local elections at the polls and afterward, Foster said.

“Civic engagement isn’t just the one day you go vote,” she said. “It’s being involved after that to make sure that your elected officials are accountable to their voters.”

Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com. Follow Arkansas Advocate on Facebook and X.