Arkansas Code Title 7. Elections § 7-5-603. Counting paper ballots

(1)(A) In counting the paper ballots, the ballot box shall be opened and each paper ballot shall be counted in turn or by counting by offices and issues by first being run through a tabulation device before any hand count is conducted.

(B) The poll workers shall witness the counting of the paper ballots and shall keep separate tally lists of the votes cast for each candidate or issue on the paper ballot by precinct.

(C) The tabulated results shall be posted at each polling site prior to the completion of the hand count of the paper ballots;

(2)(A) After being run through a tabulation device, the paper ballots shall be placed in a sealed double-locking hard shell ballot box for transport to the designated hand count location and the seal initialed by a minimum of two (2) election officials.

(B) Each county board of election commissioners shall designate the hand count location thirty (30) days before an election.

(C) A minimum of two (2) election officials shall transport the paper ballots to the hand count location.

(D) All ballots from voting machines used for compliance with the Equal Access to Voting Rights Act, Pub. L. No. 98-435,  1 the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title II of Pub. L. No. 101-336,  2 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-252,  3 shall be counted with the hand-counted paper ballots.

(E) All paper ballots shall be stored in a secure location approved by the county board of election commissioners when not in use by a poll worker performing the hand count of the paper ballots;

(3)(A) When two (2) or more paper ballots are found folded together, it shall be considered as conclusive evidence the paper ballots are fraudulent and neither of the paper ballots shall be counted.

(B) If a paper ballot is found to contain marks for more than the maximum allowable number of candidates in any one (1) contest, the contest shall be considered overvoted, and it shall be the responsibility of the county board of election commissioners to determine the voter's intent;

(4)(A) Upon the close of the polls, the poll workers immediately shall certify and attest the list of voters and continue the count to completion, within twenty-four (24) hours of the close of the polls, and with no significant breaks in the counting process.

(D) All hand-count paper ballot totals shall be recorded by race in each precinct, and posted at the designated hand-count location upon the completion of the hand count of the paper ballots;

(B) Any candidate or political party may be present in person or by representative designated in writing under § 7-5-312 at the count of the paper ballots in any election for the purpose of determining whether or not the paper ballots in any election precinct are fairly and accurately counted.

(C) The candidate in person or an authorized representative of the candidate or political party shall be permitted, upon a request's being made to a poll worker, to inspect any or all paper ballots after the paper ballots have been counted.