Questions surrounding electioneering during the March 3 preferential primary at Mansfield City Hall, which served as a polling location involved the presence of a local newspaper inside the building that contained political advertisements.
According to Mansfield Mayor Buddy Black, copies of local newspapers are routinely placed on a table in the lobby area of city hall and were not related to any election activity.
“A copy of local newspapers is always on one of the tables in the lobby area of city hall,” Black said in a statement. “This is common practice, and the fact that there were political advertisements located in that publication is of no significance.”
Black said the newspapers are made available as part of the public’s normal use of the lobby area to access local news media.
Concerns about the issue were brought to the attention of the Sebastian County Election Commission, which reviewed whether the presence of the publication could be considered electioneering under Arkansas law.
According to Election Commissioner Charity Gregory, Arkansas Code § 7-1-103 prohibits electioneering inside a polling place or within 100 feet of the primary entrance used by voters. Electioneering generally involves displaying or distributing materials that promote or oppose a candidate or issue appearing on the ballot at that specific polling location.
“The Sebastian County Election Commission is aware that a newspaper was present at the Mansfield City polling location during the recent election, and that the newspaper contained advertisements for candidates appearing on the ballot,” stated Charity Gregory, Sebastian County Election Commissioner. “Their presence inside the polling location did not meet the standard we expect for maintaining a strictly neutral voting environment. The Commission takes this matter seriously. We will be reinforcing guidance with all poll workers and election officials to ensure that no campaign materials, advertisements, or other election-related content are allowed within polling locations in the future. Additional training and clearer procedures will be implemented to help prevent situations like this from occurring again. Our goal is to ensure that every voter can cast their ballot in a fair, neutral, and distraction-free environment. The Sebastian County Election Commission remains committed to upholding the integrity of the voting process and maintaining public confidence in our elections.”
Although Mayor Buddy Black characterized the presence of a newspaper containing political advertisements inside the polling location as insignificant and part of normal practice at City Hall, the Sebastian County Election Commission said the situation did not meet the standard expected for maintaining a strictly neutral voting environment. “…The paper should have been reviewed and removed prior to the election,” concluded Gregory.
