LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – There is now a week left for early voting, and officials said the numbers are not keeping up with what was seen in the 2020 election.

According to the Secretary of State, there were nearly 490,000 early voters in 2020, but so far this year, there are just over 480,000.

Arkanians have a head start at the polls as early voting begins

KARK 4 News talked to some early voters, like Tracy Shine, who say it’s all happening because people are careless.

“If you didn’t vote, you were already without a vote, so you don’t feel like your vote has value and importance,” Shine said.

Shine believes people’s concern for voting has faded compared to recent years, but Our Vote Everywhere’s Lesley Graybeal says she thinks it’s a lack of preparation.

“People are maybe hesitant to commit to things and wait until the last minute to see how they feel and unfortunately with voting that doesn’t work,” Graybeal said.

Graybeal said it’s likely people will wait until Election Day to bag polls, but according to the Arkansas Civic Health Index, the state has consistently ranked below the national average for voter turnout.

“It leaves the responsibility to the people who previously voted,” Shine said.

Shine said more education about the importance of voting could change things, and Graybeal agrees.

Early voting in Arkansas opens Monday: What you need to know

“It’s very important to know those candidates for local and state races, the ones who are truly our neighbors and our vote can make a big difference in who gets elected,” Graybeal said.

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