Biennial Report 2007 - 2008

Biennial Report

2007-2008

Charlie Daniels

Arkansas Secretary of State

Introduction................................. 2 Buildings & Grounds..................... 4 Business & Commercial Services.... 9 Communications & Education.......14 Elections.....................................19 Information Technology...............25 Support Divisions........................27 Contact Us..................................32

Greetings from the

State Capitol

M

ultiple statewide elections, extensive restoration, innovative teaching resources and new corporate filing requirements are just a few of the highlights

for the Secretary of State’s office during the 2007‑2008 biennium. The ongoing restoration of the Arkansas State Capitol is the most visible, and among the most important tasks my staff has undertaken. Thanks to grants from the Arkansas Cultural and Natural Resources Council, we have been able to continue cleaning, restoring and protecting the exterior stonework, turning our attention to the north and west facades over the past two years. A number of interior offices and public areas also underwent restoration, most notably the first floor rotunda that now offers a state-of-the-art welcome for Capitol guests. In addition to collecting almost $42 million in franchise tax payments, the Business & Commercial Services Division implemented new laws that require annual reports from nonprofit corporations and other entities for the first time. Arkansas has more than 34,000 nonprofits on the books, but most have not updated their contact information since first incorporating years ago. With no further filings required, the Secretary of State’s office has had no means of determining whether companies remain viable and active. The annual reports will help the office clean up outdated records and operate with increased accuracy and efficiency.

The Elections Division helped county officials as they prepared for a historic election season in 2008. For the first — and likely final — time, Arkansas held a separate presidential preferential primary election in February 2008, followed by the state preferential primary in May, general election in November and a number of runoff, special and school elections. Voter turnout was at both extremes: record low in May and near-record highs in November. My office also worked with the Arkansas Ethics Commission to create an online filing system for campaign finance reports. This new system is not only more convenient for candidates, political action committees and registered lobbyists, it also makes the reports searchable and therefore more accessible for public review. Educators around the state have come to rely on my office for many free resources that help them teach civics and Arkansas history. One great addition to our offerings is a CD-ROM of lesson plans that meet state social studies frameworks. In addition to new touring options for visitors, we are fulfilling my goal of utilizing the Capitol and its resources as a living classroom. These are just a few of our accomplishments highlighted in these pages. I am proud to offer this report of our work and welcome your input as we embark on the final two years of my term. Thank you sincerely for this opportunity to serve.

Charlie Daniels Arkansas Secretary of State

Buildings & Grounds

R

estoration remains an ongoing process at the State Capitol,

The 247,000 square-foot Arkansas State Capitol and the 25-acre area surrounding the building are under the care of the Buildings & Grounds Division of the Secretary of State’s office. In addition to daily housekeeping and maintenance, the division provides many services including construction, mechanical, electrical and landscaping work. Staff members also coordinate the many events held at the State Capitol and set up facilities for press conferences, demonstrations, celebrations and other functions.

as does the regular maintenance of the building and its surrounding grounds and facilities. However, a number of

special projects highlighted the accomplishments of the Buildings & Grounds division during the 2007 and 2008 biennium.

To Preserve & Protect Continuing an ongoing restoration program, the Secretary

of State’s office obtained a new $1.2 million grant from the Arkansas Cultural and Natural Resources Commission to clean and repair the north and west facades of the Capitol.

That funding brought the total in ACNRC grants to more than $4.1 million since 2003. As in previous phases that restored the

dome and other areas, workers carefully cleaned the surface,

replaced cracked mortar with a more pliable material and sealed

the surface using a mineral compound. Craftsmen also restored decorative carvings that time and elements had eroded.

The threat of this type of damage was illustrated in early 2008,

just as workers began erecting scaffolding along the west face.

A decades-old repair on scrollwork atop one of the massive ionic columns finally gave way, dropping a 200-pound section

of stone to the ground. Initially, it seemed the position and angle of the break would make a light-weight replica necessary

as a replacement. But thanks to an innovative repair that

provided a stable anchor, the original piece was successfully re-mounted.

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Alliance recognized the success of these ongoing restoration efforts by presenting 4

Secretary Daniels its 2007 Excellence in Preservation Through Restoration Award.

Under the Dome In addition to the Capitol’s exterior work, several

interior areas also saw improvements. Most notable among these was a major redesign of the first floor

rotunda area in 2007. Read more about the new look and added amenities on page 7.

Other work included new marble flooring in the north

vestibule on the first floor and new doors in the north and

south vestibules that match existing woodwork throughout the building.

Another challenge of caring for a nearly century-old facility

came in October 2008 when an internal hinge failed during

routine cleaning on one of the original half-ton bronze doors at the Capitol’s main entrance. No blueprints for the massive

doors were known to exist, so staff members contacted Tiffany & Co., as well as the

New-York Historical Society for clues on how to remove and repair the original mechanism. Ultimately staff located a company that specializes in restoring monumental doors,

F. E. Ciccone & Co. of New Hampshire. Frank Ciccone inspected each of the doors, then

custom-built flush bolts and pivot hinges to replace the broken components. He also conducted preventative maintenance on each of the six doors and instructed Capitol personnel on routine care that will help keep the prized doors in operation.

The grand rotunda on the Capitol’s second floor serves as a very public forum for all manner of

events, announcements and performances of interest to the citizens of Arkansas. The acoustics of the marble and resulting echoes in this vast space have long presented a problem for the existing public address system. Custom-designed speakers and a state-of-the-art audio system were

installed in 2007 and have greatly improved the quality of sound for the audiences who gather

here. Workers even painted the speakers with a faux marbling technique to make the equipment as unobtrusive as possible.

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Other projects conducted by the Buildings & Grounds staff:  Redesigned lighting around Capitol

entrances and the dome to improve safety and create a more dramatic nightscape

 Replaced the lower roof to stop leaks in office areas on the lower level, and renovated the Capitol’s exhaust system

 Reinforced a loose section of the central

rotunda banister, re-grouted joints and repaired chips in the marble dating from 1992

 Installed new appliances and ventilation in the Capitol Café

 Renovated

workspace in the offices of the Business and Mechanical & Electrical departments

 Improved

safety of primary stair cases by adding a center handrail leading from the first to second floors

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 Lessened the Capitol’s carbon footprint by replacing more than 85 percent of incandescent bulbs throughout the building with energy-efficient compact fluorescent and LED bulbs

 Updated irrigation system heads, piping, valves and controls

 Completed extensive concrete work

behind the Capitol Hill building, upgraded exterior lighting and replaced its outdated wheelchair lift

 Rewired the Bicentennial Fountain and installed energy-saving LED lights

 Renovated the Law Enforcement Officers

Memorial, adding lights and a central flagpole, cleaning stonework and raising the signage to improve visibility, partially funded by donations from the Memorial Committee

 Installed a new shade garden surrounding a majestic oak tree on the southeast lawn

 Worked year-round installing and

maintaining seasonal plantings to brighten the Capitol lawn

Secretary Daniels also chairs the Capitol Arts and Grounds Commission, which oversees development

around the complex. In 2007 members approved a model for the Fallen Firefighters Memorial that will

be installed on the west lawn. With space for future memorials growing scarce, the commission adopted rules in 2008 to formalize the approval process and help provide for long-term care and maintenance.

Capitol Events As the state’s most public forum, the Capitol hosts hundreds of events annually. The Secretary of

State’s office provides public address systems, seating, security and clean-up for press conferences, rallies, performances and other services. More than 20,000 people attend these events each year.

Events during 2007 included 78 outdoor gatherings, rotunda displays, performances or memorial services; 205 photo sessions; 61 press conferences in the rotunda or front steps; and 21 rallies involving an estimated 16,000 people. Those rallies included gatherings for dignitaries such as

presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as an event supporting the “West Memphis Three” featuring Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. Other events included eight vigils;

11 picnics for large groups; six marches and races beginning or ending at the Capitol; and three graduation ceremonies. In addition, there were 101 legislative receptions in the Capitol rotunda, Capitol Hill or Capitol Café.

In 2008, the State Capitol hosted 89 rallies, marches and press conferences; 158 photo sessions for brides, graduates, prom dates and commercial enterprises; and five memorial services for police,

firemen and veterans. The Capitol Hill building also hosted 44 events and the picnic area accommodated meals for seven large groups. Other events in and around the Capitol included graduation ceremonies for game wardens, state police, certified public accountants, and adults earning general

equivalency diplomas, as well as

three marathons and four poster exhibitions.

In addition, the Building & Grounds staff work to prepare the Capitol for the annual holiday lighting

ceremony, decorating public areas and helping set up for musical performances in the rotunda. They also oversee the

installation of more

than 300,000 white lights that outline

the Capitol building

throughout December. 7

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October 2007, Secretary of State Charlie Daniels unveiled a complete re-design of the �nfirst floor rotunda. The new features create a brighter, more inviting setting for visitors to the State Capitol while restoring continuity in the building’s historical design.

The Capitol Connection A keynote addition to the first floor is a state-of-the art touchscreen, the Capitol Connection. This intuitive display serves as a virtual guide to all the services, officials and events to be found in the Capitol. It provides answers to the most Before common visitor questions along with streamlined maps that direct guests to their destinations.

Visitor Services

After

The visitor services area underwent significant changes to accommodate more than 100,000 guests who come from around the world each year. A stylized stand brings more publications into view, and a lowered window improves accessibility. With custom seating in the theater, guests can enjoy a variety of video presentations that showcase the Capitol and other points of interest in the Natural State.

Before

Capitol Gift Shop

Almost twice the previous retail space means the Capitol Gift Shop offers even more Arkansas mementos. Pick up a t-shirt or postcard along with tasty treats, decorative items and handcrafted artwork made in the Natural State.!

Before

u.s. postal service Retro styling restores the period look of the U.S. Postal Service substation, located in the southwest corner of the area. Customers also enjoy the new work center for last-minute addressing.

After

Wireless Business Center

After 8

Free high-speed wireless access is now available in many areas, including a new first-floor seating area. Visitors are free to use their laptops in this area to check e-mails while a high-def TV offers live news or other programming. Watch for Connect Here signs at other hotspots, including the Capitol Cafe, second floor rotunda, snack stand and the Capitol Hill building.

Business & Commercial Services

D

uring the 2007 legislative session, the General Assembly approved Act 569 requiring nonprofit corporations to file

annual reports with the Secretary of State’s office. Arkansas

has more than 34,000 nonprofit corporations on the books, many

of which had not updated their records since first incorporating decades ago. The Secretary of State’s office pursued the legislation

The Business & Commercial Services Division is Arkansas’s

in an effort to clean up records and remove defunct entities. The

starting point for entrepreneurs

with information to include:

the state. Consumers can search

new law requires all nonprofits to submit annual reports by August 1 •

Name of the corporation

•

Name and address of the corporation’s registered agent

•

• •

Corporation’s jurisdiction

Name and address of the corporation’s principal offices

Names and addresses of the corporation’s directors

wishing to transact business in for a unique name for their start-up company as well as file for incorporation or other classification. The BCS Division also collects franchise taxes, records trademarks, files notary

To implement the new reporting mandate, BCS conducted a

public certifications, issues

on nonprofits leading up to the first reporting deadline on August

Apostilles and records Uniform

massive outreach campaign to collect current contact information

Authentication of Documents and

1, 2008. At the end of 2007, the Secretary of State had 34,289

Commercial Code filings.

nonprofits on file. By the end of 2008, 11,785 — 34.37 percent — had submitted reports.

The legislature also required Limited partnerships (LPs) and limited

liability limited partnerships (LLLPs) to submit annual reports in 2008. Of the 6,090 Limited Partnerships registered with the Secretary of State, 1,528 (25 percent) filed annual reports. Out of

505 Limited Liability Limited Partnerships filed with the state, 169 (33 percent) submitted an annual report.

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Franchise Tax by the Numbers



2004

2005*

2006

2007

2008

Franchise Tax Reports Issued

89,800

95,000

98,000

102,940

106,627

Companies Filing by Deadline

n/a

76,300

80,900

65,024

62,369

$9.2 million

$19 million

$19.7 million

$21 million

$20.6 million



Franchise Tax Revenue

* First reporting year under revised payment schedule.

Other 2007 legislation effecting Arkansas corporations includes: Act 646 — Eliminates fees for updating registered agent information

Act 638 — Adopted the Model Registered Agents Act, drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. It defines the difference between commercial registered agents and non-commercial registered agents, standardizes and clarifies service of process procures and details the duties of registered agents.

Act 865 — Allows names of members of LLCs with registered agents to be confidential on the annual franchise tax report

Franchise Tax Collections One new option for filing franchise taxes was introduced in 2007: payment coupons for

batch filers. BCS now offers this service to users such as certified public accountants who

simultaneously file for multiple customers. Firms may order deferred 30-day coupons with billing information that they can send to each client, or BCS will direct-bill customers.

Also in 2007, BCS began accepting credit cards for franchise tax payments and other services.

This much-requested option speeds a number of processes, especially for services that must be

pre-paid such as requests for certified copies of records. Both in-house and online payments are now accepted through most major credit cards with a $1 convenience fee.

In 2008, the slowing national economy impacted Arkansas businesses as

corporate filings dropped by 4.6 percent from 2007. Approaching the May 1 deadline

for filing franchise taxes approached, online payments peaked in April 2008 with about

14,000 filers — a 70 percent increase over the same peak period in 2007. The number

of franchise tax payments made online in 2008 increased 33 percent over the

previous year. However, total collections fell from $21,068,789 to $20,496,040,

declining for the first time during the current administration.

As required under Arkansas law since 2005, the division directs all

franchise tax collections over $8 million to the state’s Educational

Adequacy Fund, to support improvements within local school districts.

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Online Services Those returning to the BCS web page to file franchise taxes in 2008 found a new convenience that

allowed them to view or download tax reports filed online in previous years. In addition, information entered in the most recent online filing now automatically populates fields in the online system.

This feature saves customers the time and effort of re-keying fields such as the company name and address while helping to minimize typographical errors.

In addition to building features for filing franchise taxes online, it has been a major priority for the

BCS team to add and improve the number of department services available online. Those additions in 2007 and 2008 included the ability to dissolve a corporation online, obtain certified copies of filings, update franchise tax and notary contact information and perform a global change of registered

agent. The ideas for many of these changes came in consultation with the BCS Advisory Council, a 17-member board of business professionals from a broad range of backgrounds who provide guidance on the department’s services.

BCS Advisory Council meeting

These efforts were recognized in

September 2007, when Secretary of State Charlie Daniels received the Digital Government Achievement Award by the Center for Digital Government. The award in the

government-to-business category recognized innovations in the

Franchise Tax Services Suite, which

automates the processing of online franchise tax lockbox filings.

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North Little Rock Business Expo

This system, developed in partnership with the Information Network of Arkansas and Regions Bank, creates an electronic record for each mail-in filing and processes

the enclosed payments immediately. This allowed the division to process

filings as much as two months faster overall.

A significant number of clients chose to order certificates of good standing online,

outranking in-house requests by almost five-to-one in 2008. Online filing also remained popular with Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) clients with almost 70,000 filings in 2008, up from 50,000 in 2007.

BCS also partnered with INA to build a new database for BCS maintain both online and

in-house filings. The UCC section of these new processes is scheduled to begin use in late

spring 2009, with the corporate and tax filing processes to be released by December 2009.

Reaching Out to Businesses In 2007, BCS published and distributed a second edition of Doing Business in Arkansas,

which is available throughout the state at courthouses, chambers of commerce, libraries

or by contacting BCS. Copies were mailed to members of General Assembly, constitutional officers, county elected officials in all 75 counties, state agency directors and state

commission directors. In 2008, BCS followed this highly-popular publication with a Spanish-

language edition, Haciendo Negocios en Arkansas.

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In outreach, BCS has provided free notary educational seminars throughout the year to new, renewing and aspiring notaries public. Approximately 1,800 individuals attended public and private BCS-sponsored notary educational seminars in 2007, and over 90

seminars were conducted in 2008. Of those, more than 20 were private seminars that businesses and agencies scheduled for their staff.

Other BCS outreach activities:  Partnered with Small Business Development programs at several universities to provide information on business services and participate in SBD seminars

 Joined with the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce to promote Secretary of State resources to the capital city’s business community

 Opened the BCS offices and resources to the federal Small Business

Administration and SCORE, which held regular in-office hours to counsel BCS customers on federal resources available to Arkansas businesses

BCS also represented the office at business expos and other public appearances. Those events included attendance at conventions of county elected officials, speaking to civic

clubs such as Rotary and Lions clubs, and addressing banks, certified pubic accountants and the Arkansas Bar Association. Outreach also included bilingual and inter-cultural opportunities, speaking to gatherings hosted by ¡Hola! Arkansas and the Hispanic

Women’s Organization of Arkansas.

Communications & Education The Communications & Education Division is a multi‑discipline service that strives to educate the young and young-at-heart about elections, the State Capitol, citizenship and Arkansas history. Its diverse responsibilities include student programs, voter education, State Capitol tours and visitor services, community outreach, historic exhibits, event planning, public speaking and website management. Its staff strives to serve the public at large as well as provide creative services for all areas of the Secretary of State’s office.

T

he Communications & Education staff fulfills one of the

primary missions for the administration: to use the State Capitol and its resources as a living classroom that will

instill a greater appreciation for Arkansas’s rich history and

to foster a strong sense of civic duty in our young Arkansans.

Staff in this area work closely with all divisions of the Secretary of State’s office to develop programs and produce materials that inform constituents and motivate citizens.

Building Citizens, Young and Old The Communications & Education Division has become a

resource for teachers around the state, developing a number of free materials for civics education.

In 2007, the division led an effort to create Arkansas-specific

civics lesson plans for teaching principles of civics to kindergarten through eighth grade classes. The ABCs of Citizenship —

Arkansas Builds Citizens was developed in partnership with the University of Central Arkansas, the Arkansas Department of Education and a panel of social studies educators. Funded in

part by grants from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Center for Civic Education, the lessons align with state social studies frameworks. The office released the lesson plans on

CD-ROM in summer 2008 with free copies issued to more than 2,000 teachers and media specialists statewide.

The CD-ROM is just one of the many materials distributed through summer in-service workshops known as Using the

State Capitol to Teach. The seminars meet the Arkansas history

requirement for continuing education. In this biennium, staff

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conducted 40 professional development workshops for schools and educational cooperatives statewide, providing approximately 750 teachers with

information about educational resources available

through the Secretary of State’s office. The interaction has established helpful contacts for teachers and has increased interest in Capitol history and tours.

A popular program for students expanded in 2007 to

include a fall session of the Secretary of State’s Young Voters program. Held during National Young Voters Month in March as well as in October, the program

drew a total of 400 students from 75 schools during the first year of

expansion. Attendance in 2008 reached 200 students in March and 175 in September. Skits, group discussions, games and presentations illustrate the importance of voting, the history of civil rights, the struggle for

woman suffrage and other aspects of elections in America. One new

element in 2008, “Voting Jeopardy” proved to be a popular and effective

learning game for students. Com-Ed staff also developed a mobile version of the Young Voters program and presented it on-site at several schools.

Another voter education program conducted by the division was the 2008 National Student/Parent

Mock Election in which more than 140,000 students from 500 schools participated. They voted for their choice in the presidential race, as well as statewide races and five ballot issues. Students from Gibbs

International Magnet Elementary in Little Rock helped man the central tabulation station at the Capitol.

Click to It Averaging more than 2.8 million hits each year,

the Secretary of State’s websites are a primary tool

for communicating with Arkansas voters, businesses and many other constituents. In addition to

the main website — www.sos.arkansas.gov — the office maintains several peripheral

sites targeted to specific audiences for

education, voting, holidays and other

special events.

To improve navigation of the office’s

official site, Com-Ed coordinated a

major redesign in 2007 with a new

organizational structure, updated graphics

and more download-free information.

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2008 Website Visitors Topic

Site Visits

general

2 million

www.arelections.org

candidates/election results

375,469

www.soskids.arkansas.gov

education

275,000

voter education

217,549

young voters

9,000

www.sos.arkansas.gov

www.votenaturally.org

www.wannabeheard.org

In 2008, Com-Ed worked with the Elections Division, the Arkansans Ethics Commission and the

Information Network of Arkansas to develop an online reporting system for candidate campaign

contribution and expenditure (CC&E) reports. To kick-off the new system, Com-Ed staff registered new users in conjunction with candidate filing in March. The division also worked to develop a web-based

system for filing Statements of Financial Interest (SFIs), as well as applications for lobbyists.

In other web-based activities, this the Secretary of State’s office:  Developed an electronic version of the Arkansas, Inc., newsletter, saving printing and postage costs  Updated websites for voting and candidate information for 2008 elections  Created specialty sites for projects such as Young Voters workshops, National Student/Parent

Mock Election voting and the Capitol’s holiday lighting ceremony and festival of choirs

Visitor Services The Secretary of State’s office coordinates services for visitors to the State

Capitol, providing personally guided tours and materials for

self-guided tours of the building and grounds. On average, more than 450

groups schedule guided tours yearly with half of those coming from schools around the state. That number also includes around 45 leadership groups,

both representing communities in Arkansas as well as Japan, Mexico, South

Korea, Austria and Ukraine.

Although the economy slowed and many tourist destinations saw

decreased business in 2008, the Capitol stayed busy, with almost

13,000 visitors taking guided tours during the year. Peak months

were March (1,015), April (2,578) and May (4,242)with another spike during the holiday season (1,792). Guests hailed from across the

United States and the world, including countries such as Australia,

Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Great

Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands,

New Zealand, Romania, South Africa, Thailand and Venezuela. Offering a new experience for Capitol visitors in 2008, the division introduced the

long-awaited self-guided tour of the Capitol grounds, A Walk on the Hill. It is a companion to

the self-guided tour of the building, Through These Doors, and provides

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details on the numerous monuments, trees and gardens around the complex. Young

groups can also schedule an architectural scavenger hunt called Capitol Quest.

Com-Ed staff worked with Buildings &

Grounds crews on the 2007 renovation of the first floor rotunda area. They

developed graphics and content for the new informational touch screen and coordinated

the grand opening reception. Tour staff also began developing an audio tour program

Guided Capitol Tour

expected to debut in 2009.

Publications & Outreach The publications team of the Communications & Education department provides services such as

writing, editing, graphic design and photography to help convey important information to constituents of the Secretary of State’s office. Whether originating publications or helping other staff bring their ideas to fruition, the team produces a full spectrum of materials, from mailers, invitations, signs,

newsletters and brochures to designs for forms, awards, identification cards, public service ads and even new Capitol Police patrol cars.

Com-Ed staff write and design the quarterly Capitol Report newsletter, which debuted a new look in late 2008. Other publications included the office Christmas card, annual wall calendar for state

offices and a re-designed activity book of state symbols. More than 140,000 of those books are distributed to students each year.

Publications produced in conjunction with the Elections Division included the 2008 Arkansas

Elections Calendar, informational posters for polling sites, A New Commissioner’s Guide to

Election Management, the Directory of Arkansas Elected Officials, Voting 101 — A Pocket Guide to Voting in the Natural State, the 2008 Guide to Initiatives & Referenda and a variety of

voter education materials. ComEd staff also worked with the Executive office, Elections and Media Relations to plan a voter education campaign for the 2008 general election.

This utilized a range of media including radio, print, outdoor and social networks such as

YouTube and Facebook. (See page 24 for more on the voter outreach campaign.)

The department also helped write and design publications for the Business & Commercial

Services Division, including the quarterly newsletter Arkansas, Inc., and guides such as

Doing Business in Arkansas and Notary Handbook.

The Secretary of State’s office houses almost a century of photographic history of the Arkansas State

Capitol, however much of it is uncataloged. In 2008, the photography staff began a long-term project

to arrange and identify these slides, negatives and digital media to build a searchable electronic

catalog that will make the images more accessible for generations to come.

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Com-Ed staff spent much of 2008 preparing the Historical Report

of the Secretary of State, a record of elected officials and other

information published once each decade. The 750-page volume went to press in December with free volumes to be available in early 2009. The Secretary of State’s bureau of public speakers is available to

present topics such as elections, business services,

State Capitol history and more. To promote this free

service to groups such as civic clubs, chambers of commerce and senior adult centers, Com-Ed staff

produced and distributed a new brochure, What

Speaks to You?

It provided immediate results with a dramatic spike

in speaker requests within days of mailing.

Other outreach efforts included manning displays at

trade shows and community events such as business expos, Rural Development conferences, Association

of Arkansas Counties meetings, Air Force Retirees

reception, state and regional fairs and the Arkansas

Hospitality Association convention.

Events & Exhibits Among the many events and exhibits presented by the Secretary of State’s office, the Com-Ed Division

produced quarterly exhibits showcased near the new Visitor Center. Displays in 2007 included the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the legacy of Horace Mann High School, Arkansans in World War II and “Planes,

Trains and Automobiles.” For 2008, exhibits featured the 75th Anniversary of Arkansas State Parks, the

state’s forestry industry, notable presidential elections of the past and antique dolls.

Other accomplishments of the Communications & Education Division:  Consulted with the State Senate to

commission and dedicate a memorial bust honoring the late Lieutenant Governor Winthrop Paul Rockefeller

 Attended the rededication of the Utah State

 Arranged and indexed archived gubernatorial proclamations

Capitol representing Arkansas after donating

 Coordinated the annual holiday lighting

twin to Arkansas’s Mitchell-Vance fixture.

 Coordinated numerous special events at

components for Utah’s rotunda chandelier, a

 Transferred historic portraits of Supreme

Court justices to the Arkansas Supreme Court Historical Society

 Hosted exhibits and events such as a

traveling display of writings, photos and recordings of U.S. presidents sponsored

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by CNN as well as a Sister Cities event that included a performance by traditional deer dancers from Japan

ceremony and festival of choirs

the Capitol including a college fair for Girls State and Boys State delegates, the official welcome for the national championships of the American Taekwondo Association, a book signing by former Governor David Pryor, a Red Cross blood drive and Angel Tree’s Christmas toy drive

Elections

O



n the heels of historic federal election reforms that

took full effect in 2006, the Elections Division spent 2007

preparing for even more changes early in the next election

cycle. The General Assembly enacted legislation in 2005 to hold an earlier presidential primary in order to increase the state’s

The Secretary of State serves as the chief elections official for the state of Arkansas, maintaining records of all federal, state and district

prominence in selecting party nominees. Other states followed suit,

elections held in the state. This

same day.

process, from filing candidates

however, resulting in 24 states holding primaries or caucuses the Election Day on February 5, 2008, was also dramatically affected

includes all stages of the elections for office and maintaining their

by deadly tornadoes that swept across the northern third of the

financial reports to certifying

damaged some facilities in nine counties: Craighead, Crittenden,

the federal Help America Vote

state just as polls neared closing. The storms cut power and

and recording vote totals. Under

Cross, Izard, Jackson, Pope, Sharp, Stone and Van Buren.

Act — implemented in 2006 —

Thankfully no poll workers or voters were injured, and voting equipment and ballots remained secured. Because of power

outages and widespread damage, four of those counties were forced to delay tabulating and reporting official results, but the Secretary of State was able to certify all results by February 29.

Voter turnout for the new primary was 35 percent of registered

the responsibilities of the office greatly expanded from one of record-keeper and resource to that of election administrator and compliance officer.

voters (compared to 22 percent in 2004) with almost one third

casting early or absentee ballots. This rise in turnout can partly be attributed to strong Arkansas connections in the race: former Governor Mike Huckabee and former First Lady Hillary Clinton were both on the ballot for the Republican and Democratic nominations,

respectively. However, without the draw of presidential candidates or major statewide offices on the ballot in May, turnout hit a historic low of 18 percent.

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The general election in November drew near-record

numbers of voters. About 25 percent of registered

voters cast early or absentee ballots, totaling about 415,000 ballots. At the end of the general election, 1,086,617 Arkansas voters had participated: 64.52

percent of the state’s electorate.

On Dec. 15, 2008, the Secretary of State’s office hosted

the state’s Electoral College delegates in the Capitol’s

Candidate Filing

Old Supreme Court chamber. Delegates formally cast

Arkansas’s six electoral votes for Republican candidate

John McCain, who swept 58.72 percent of Arkansas

voters over Democrat Barack Obama, who garnered

only 38.86 percent of the state total but won the national vote. The event was streamlined live via the Internet in partnership with AETN, which enabled students around the state to see the proceedings.

Candidate Report Filing Goes Online In July 2007, the Secretary of State’s office debuted an Internet-based system for filing contribution

and expenditure reports, adding a new level of convenience and accessibility for political candidates

and the public at large. Developed in conjunction with the Arkansas Ethics Commission and the

Information Network of Arkansas, the system allows candidates to file an electronic version of their campaign financial disclosure forms, which are required by law. Previously candidates submitted

hard copies of their completed forms, which the Elections Division scanned and placed online. While this enabled the public to view the reports, it was a slow, manual process, and the images were not

searchable. Online filings are posted faster with better legibility and searchability, making campaign

finance more transparent for the public.

2007 ELECTION LAW CHANGES Secretary of State Charlie Daniels’ 2007 legislative package included bills intended to streamline election administration, remove barriers to voter participation and ballot access and increase the pool of quality poll workers. Election laws passed by the 86th General Assembly included:

Election Administration

Act 1049 Significantly changes the election calendar

to accommodate printing and programming of electronic ballots as well as processing overseas citizens’ ballots. The shift begins with the candidate filing period that moves from the third Tuesday to the first weekday in March and is shortened from two weeks to one week.

Act 222 Clarifies that school board candidates must

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file political practices pledge and standardizes the filing period for all municipal offices, among other things.

Act 224 Clarifies procedures for provisional voting.

Act 705 Makes changes in paper ballots to conform with ES&S standards.

Act 987

Amends procedure for preparing presidential primary ballots.

Act 556 Amends early voting procedures, among other things.

Act 834 Provides a procedure for handling abandoned paper ballots.

Act 835 Provides a procedure for handling abandoned electronic ballots.

Act 1020 Clarifies confusing and outdated language in the election code.

2008 Voter Turnout

Presidential Primary

Preferential Primary

General Election

Feb. 5, 2008

May 20, 2008

Nov. 4, 2008

Registered Voters*

1,570,961

95,000

1,684,240

Total Votes Cast

544,170

80,900

1,086,617

Voter Turnout

34.64%

18%

64.52%





* Based on Election Day totals reported by counties

Continuing Education & Voter Outreach Voter outreach and election official training remained a priority for the Elections Division in order

to continue improving procedures implemented under the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA). In 2007 alone, Elections personnel conducted more than 275 outreach events around the state,

conducting voter registration drives and training poll workers on updated voting equipment. Trainers

also visited public agencies such as libraries, Department of Human Services offices and motor vehicle registration centers to instruct employees on providing voter registration applications to patrons and

visitors as required under the National Voter Registration Act. Programs were also conducted for more than 70 groups including schools, civic groups and senior adult centers. Outreach staff also held 158 demonstrations of voting machines, involving approximately 3,500 Arkansans.

In other travels, Secretary of State election coordinators made at least one site visit with election officials in the 72 counties that upgraded voting equipment under HAVA. Staff also conducted

65 separate training sessions with more than 225 election officials and poll workers participating in sessions held regionally or at the Secretary of State’s central training center near the Capitol.

Voting & Ballot Access

Act 261 Allows overseas citizens to cast an instant runoff vote at the same time as their regular ballots, which preserves their participation in such short-term elections.

Act 560 Allows registered voters who have moved across county lines to transfer their voter registration within four days of the election. Previously voters who moved to another county within 30 days of an election were ineligible to vote in that election.

Act 821 Based on a 2006 federal court ruling, revises the procedure for new qualified parties to align with rules for independent candidates. The number of signatures required to qualify for the ballot changed from 3 percent in the last governor’s race (24,000 in 2006) to a flat 10,000. The time to gather the signatures is shortened from five to two months.

Act 822 Sets procedures for independent presidential candidates to qualify for the ballot with 1,000 valid petition signatures. It mirrors existing requirements specified for political groups. SJR4

Poll Workers

(Proposed Constitutional Amendment #1, referred to a vote in the 2008 General Election) The amendment — which passed with 73 percent of the vote — loosens restrictions on poll worker qualifications and allows the General Assembly to set requirements. It paves the way for government employees such as schoolteachers, college professors and other skilled professionals to serve as poll workers. This amendment also removes outdated provisions such as the poll tax, and other obsolete language.

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In 2008, the Elections Division conducted

numerous training events and meetings in

preparation for the historic General Election. In

May, training on the voter registration system was conducted for 34 new county clerks and deputy

clerks. Later in the summer, 190 county election

commissioners, clerks and election coordinators

attended one of 10 user group meetings. Topics

focused on the steps for certifying election

results, which begin with thorough logic and

accuracy testing of equipment prior

to Election Day, then continues with tabulation and reconciliation after

voting concludes.

Trainers also conducted five workshops for local election

administrators at the office’s training facility in the Victory Building near the Capitol. On-site training was

conducted for eight counties that have purchased software licenses to program their own ballots and voting equipment. At the end of

the third quarter in preparation for the General Election, the division

conducted a refresher course on the Network of Voters in Arkansas

(or NOVA, the statewide voter registration system) for over

100 county clerks and deputies.

Ongoing Maintenance & Improvements The office provided more than $350,000 in state and federal funds

toward the maintenance and licensing for the HAVA-compliant voting

system. It also provided $136,440 in grant funds to 13 counties for ADA upgrades to polling sites

and $52,639.04 to the Disability Rights Center to produce a training video and brochures on assisting

voters with disabilities.

The Secretary of State’s office utilized a surplus in federal HAVA funding to cover half the

cost of voting machine maintenance for each county for the 2008-2009 period. This was a

one-time bonus payment to counties who will assume that responsibility in the future.

In preparation for the 2008 General Election, the Secretary of State’s office and Arkansas’s

county clerks conducted a performance-load test for NOVA on August 22, 2008. It was

performed in conjunction with InfoSENTRY Services, Inc., Election Systems & Software and the Arkansas Department of Information Systems with the following objectives:

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To assess the system’s performance at varying levels of demand; test the ability to move data to a

secondary site in case of disaster, evaluate recovery from short-term outages and assess the system’s

back-up and restoration operations. The test showed a number of improvements from the first such

test in 2006, including better memory and CPU resource management. The findings of this test helped

guide revisions in programming and procedures that will improve the system for all users.

The Arkansas Register The Elections Division produces The Arkansas Register, the state’s official publication of administrative rules and regulations adopted by state agencies, boards, and commissions under the Administrative Procedures Act. The publication and its online resources were honored in 2008 with the Robert J.

Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award, presented by the Administrative Codes and Registers division of the

National Association of Secretaries of State. Arkansas was honored for its progress in modernizing its filing system and developing Internet-based tools to make more information readily available to the public.

Other activities in the Elections Division for 2007-2008 included:  Certifying the Green Party as a new political  Processing monthly and quarterly financial party, verifying more than 10,000 petition signatures submitted by the party

 Producing new publications that included the Best Practices Guide to Elections in

Arkansas, Arkansas 2007-2008 Election

Event Schedule, Tips for Election Readiness

and the Poll Worker Training Reimbursement

Incentive Program

disclosure reports

 Checking signature validity on 70 petitions, processing 325 candidate filings and overseeing six major elections conducted during 2008

 Distributing more than 500,000 voter

registration applications and over 128,000

Voting 101 handbooks

 Implementing new software for

electronic scanning of paper reports, making it faster and easier to access records for public review

 Filing and processing 1,755 acts

passed by the 86th General Assembly

 Updating and distributing forms and publications effected by legislative

changes, including Election Laws of

Arkansas, Voting 101 and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas

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Is your address correct? Know what’s on the ballot? Are you sure when & where to go? With voters now familiar with voting equipment that debuted in 2006, the focus of voter outreach for the 2008 elections got back to basics — making sure Arkansans knew how to update their voter registration, where to go vote and what they would find on their ballots.

a few minutes to check their information before heading to the polls. The office also produced a special election edition of its quarterly Capitol Report newsletter that provided general voting information, as well as a list of state and district candidates on the November ballot.

The office continued to utilize its website www.VoteNaturally.org as a one-stop resource for information on voter registration and voting issues. All voter outreach materials and advertisements pointed to the website for “all you need to know about voting in the Natural State.” Especially helpful on the site is a tool that voters can use to look up their own registered address and correct polling site — vital information that, if not up-to-date, can delay voters on Election Day.

With an eye on emerging media, the Secretary of State’s office sought to reach new audiences through social networking Web sites. More than 2,000 Facebook users either joined the group “RU Ready 2B Heard” or clicked on a rotating ad that targeted Arkansans over 18 years of age. Those ads appeared almost 4.5 million times during the two-month run with a 4 percent response rate to messages that promoted the voter registration deadline, early voting and Election Day voting. The Facebook group page offered another outlet for posting voter information and deadline reminders and for answering voting questions posted by group members.

The Communications & Education division also worked closely with Elections staff to develop a statewide multi‑media campaign designed to reach voters in every age group. Advertisements in more than 340 newspapers along with targeted radio and television spots reminded voters to take 24

The Secretary of State also produced public service announcements and how-to videos for the state’s YouTube portal, accessible through the state’s main page at www.arkansas.gov and the Secretary of State’s website. Other internet tools included banner ads on the home pages of local television affiliates in Little Rock, Fayetteville and Jonesboro.

www.VoteNaturally.org

Information Technology

T

he Information Technology department is an essential arm of the Secretary of State’s office, providing support and

upgrades for the office’s computer hardware and software

as well as for voter registration equipment in almost every county across the state.

In 2007, IT staff headed a major installation that brought free wireless access to public areas such as the Capitol Café, the first

floor Visitor’s Center, second floor rotunda, third floor snack

The Information Technology Division is a vital support service of the Secretary of State’s office. Its staff of technicians and

area, as well as the Capitol Hill building and training facilities in

programming specialists works

of State staff to log onto the office’s private network, a capability

technological advancements

the Victory Building.  This wireless access also enables Secretary

to stay on the leading edge of

that was instrumental in keeping the tour desk and gift shop

to benefit not only employees,

connected amidst the 2007 renovation of the first floor rotunda area. Tour staff operated with a laptop computer and wireless

but also the office’s many

card at a temporary station while the Gift Shop stayed connected

constituents. With the office’s new

and open for business with a point-of-sale computer and a

voter registration system, the IT

wireless bridge.

Division now provides support to

Not only is the wireless service a convenience for elected officials,

county election officials, totalling

connectivity between entities. For example, a wireless bridge

locations across the state.

legislative personnel and other Capitol visitors, it also provides

now connects the State Treasurer’s office on the third floor and

approximately 750 users in 85

the Bureau of Legislative Research on the fourth floor, saving the expense and difficulty of hardwiring these offices together.

Training Center The IT team helped set up a training facility in the nearby

Victory Building, which is used for educating Secretary of State staff as well as county clerks and other local election officials.

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Numerous computer-based training sessions

were held in the facility during 2007 and 2008,

including workshops on the voter registration

system, Microsoft Office 2007 suite and the Secretary of State’s newly revised website.

In early 2008, IT upgraded hardware used for

voter registration, delivering and installing 80 new

computers at county clerks’ offices around the state. The department also consulted with clerks in White,

Van Buren and Lonoke counties to ensure a smooth

transition as they moved into new offices.

Equipment within the Secretary of State’s office

received a major network upgrade in 2008. Boosting

network storage space with a new 3.5 Terabyte Storage

Area Network (SAN) allowed the Secretary of State to maintain a larger library of digital photographs and

video files on the internal network. A network upgrade from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008

assists development of new systems in the Business &

Commercial Services division. The office’s e-mail system was upgraded from Exchange Server 2003 to Exchange

Server 2007 to enhance security and allow more control

for individual users.

IT repurposed 40 computers originally purchased for

verifying petition signatures for state elections,

distributing them throughout the office to upgrade staff work stations.IT specialists also collaborated with the

Elections Division to develop an application in late 2008

that will take information from differing databases and

integrate the information into logical reports.

A project bridging from 2008 to 2009 will provide

additional computer security to the Secretary of State’s

office. A new anti-virus program will detect and stop

any unauthorized program running or attempting to run

on office computers.

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Support Di v isions Executive Office In addition to receiving visitors and fielding phone calls to the main

office of the Secretary of State, the executive staff process many

special requests from constituents. They produce the office’s Capitol Citation and Arkansas Traveler certificates and respond to many general questions about the office and services.

The Executive Office also maintains records of clemency and pardon applications, notices and pardons processed by the

Governor’s office. Secretary of State staff digitized and indexed

these documents, which has provided a means to search, print

and even e-mail the records. The scanned documents date to the beginning of Secretary Daniels’ tenure in January 2003. Staff

members then began a long-term project to digitize records from previous administrations.

From personnel and purchasing

The Executive Office also adopted a simpler process for flag

to shopping and security,

transmitted through e-mail rather than fax, which distributes

support divisions provide a

proclamations. Orders for flags to be flown at half-staff are now

the Secretary of State’s

these important notices much faster and more efficiently.

wide range of services for

Legal Department

the office and the public.

The Legal division spent the first half of 2007 working with legislators and staff with the Bureau of Legislative Research to

pass a number of bills related to elections and business services. Bills that passed into law included Act 638 , the Model Registered Agents Act; Act 569 requiring nonprofit annual reports; and Act 646, which revised fee schedules for certain business filings.

Legal staff then worked with other Secretary of State divisions to guide the implementation of these new laws.

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The Legal Division also partnered with the Arkansas Small Business

Development Centers to host seminars for notaries public

and corporations. Staff presented programs to various groups concerning nonprofit reporting, how to incorporate and

general Secretary of State information.

Legal staff advised BCS and Elections in updating forms and

publications to reflect legislative changes. Staff legal counsel also

provided an invaluable service to county election officials, advising

them on state and federal election reforms and recommended steps to

implement new requirements. Legal counsel also continued through

2008 to develop a bill that would provide an election coordinators in

each county to help election officials meet the many programming

deadlines and maintenance requirements of the state’s electronic voting systems.

Capitol Police The Capitol Police Department invested in continued training for its officers

during 2007. Officers received a total of 782 training hours on topics including

racial profiling, firearms, crime scene photography, computer forensics,

evidence storage, internal affairs and post blast investigation.

On average, officers respond to more than 100 incidents each year,

ranging from a disturbance to parking lot accidents. They make

around 10 arrests for offenses including loitering, public intoxication

and criminal trespassing.

Human Resources/Business Office Human Resources and the Business Office worked with the

Information Technology department in 2007 to implement a

new web-based system for processing employee timesheets. The program allows all staff members to enter their hours

online, then supervisors log in to review and approve timesheets. Entries are quickly and accurately transferred directly into the payroll

processes, reducing timesheet errors and

enabling employees to directly monitor leave

balances and request time off.  The system involves all staff in the process, allowing

everyone to takes ownership in timekeeping

and assist supervisors in planning and scheduling.

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In the Human Resources office, the largest increase of services was within the benefits area. Overall,

participation in open enrollment and the Capitolwide Annual Benefit Fair increased by 15 percent

for the Secretary of State’s office and 80 percent for employees from other state agencies.

Additionally all Secretary of State personnel received disability sensitivity training through the Arkansas

Governor’s Commission on People with Disabilities.

Gift Shop Thanks to the 2007 first floor Rotunda renovations, the State Capitol Gift Shop dramatically increased its retail space with improved display space and self-securing cabinets. The

renovation allowed the shop to expand its inventory and made 2007 one of the best sales

years since the shop re-opened in 2004. Like many retailers, the shop enjoys robust sales

during the Christmas season with its unique selection of gift items and décor. It also provides a convenient service for Constitutional officers and legislators who rely on the Capitol Gift

Shop to provide gift baskets and specialty items such as custom lapel pins and coffee mugs.

The Secretary of State’s office donated several gift baskets, filled with Gift Shop merchandise, for nonprofit organizations.

The shop added several new Arkansas vendors and products in 2007, including Mountain View

pottery, McClard’s Bar-B-Q and the work of glassblower James Hayes. Other new products include leather desk accessories, state seal & Arkansas flag lapel pins, golf umbrellas, travel mugs and

Aromatique items. For youth, new products include microfiber note pads, yo-yo’s, flashlights and jumbo pens.

The gift shop staff constantly seeks to add new products and uniquely Arkansas gifts. One such

vendor added in 2008 was the Arkansas Enterprises of Developmentally Disabled, which provides

a line of decorative candles. The Gift Shop has also added greeting cards, which has proved to be a popular item with Capitol employees. The gift

shop now carries a small collection of caps and

tees for Arkansas State University fans featuring the school’s new mascot, the Red Wolf.

Collectible ornaments are an exclusive offering

during the holidays and are offered throughout the year. In 2007, the featured subject was

the Mitchell-Vance rotunda chandelier, and

in 2008, the ornament highlighted the grand Tiffany bronze doors.

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Here to Serve You Charlie Daniels Secretary of State

Room 256, State Capitol Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1094 Phone: 501-682-1010 or 800-482-1127 Fax: 501-682-3510 E-mail: [email protected] On the Web: www.sos.arkansas.gov BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES Suite 250, Victory Bldg., 1401 Capitol Ave.

501-682-3409

888-233-0325

501-682-8032

BUSINESS OFFICE Room 012, State Capitol

CAPITOL BUILDING AND GROUNDS

501-682-2115

Room 015, State Capitol

501-682-3042

CAPITOL EVENTS

Room 04, State Capitol

501-682-5173

CAPITOL SECURITY

First Floor, State Capitol

CAPITOL TOURS

501-682-5080

First Floor Rotunda, State Capitol

COMMUNICATIONS AND EDUCATION

501-683-0057

Room 01, State Capitol

ELECTIONS Room 026, State Capitol

HISTORIAN

501-682-5070

800-482-1127

501-683-3187

Room 017, State Capitol

SPEAKERS BUREAU

501-683-3702

Room 01, State Capitol

TDD/TTY

501-682-3420 800-262-4704

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Charlie Daniels

Arkansas Secretary of State State Capitol Room 256 Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 501.682.1010 www.sos.arkansas.gov