In an era where technology ….

In an era where technology has permeated almost every aspect of our lives, it is bewildering to find that in Arkansas, the fundamental right to vote can be threatened by our own elected officials.

Across Arkansas, a split among county clerks on accepting electronic signatures for voter registration forms has emerged, creating confusion and inconsistency in the effort to involve more citizens in the electoral process.

Among Arkansas’s 75 counties, some have bravely stepped into the 21st century by embracing electronic signatures, while an alarming number, including Faulkner County, cling to outdated, unnecessary requirements of a “wet” signature. The resistance to electronic signatures is not just an inconvenience… it’s a roadblock to democracy.

Organizations like Get Loud Arkansas have been assisting hundreds of Arkansans in registering to vote through a secure, efficient digital platform until last month when the Secretary of State reversed his support and passed the decision off to county clerks.

Many county clerks then decided to reject legally valid voter registration forms has left many volunteers and potential voters in a lurch. Refusal to accept electronic signatures is inexplicable and indefensible against the backdrop of Arkansas’s Uniform Electronic Transaction Act, which clearly supports the validity of such signatures.

Our state deserves better. The insistence on “wet” signatures in an age where digital transactions are secure and commonplace is not just a rejection of progress. It’s an intentional stifling of voices.

This is not merely a matter of convenience but of civic duty and fundamental rights. [ Editor’s Note: As this state has fallen completely under the thrall of extremism, I’m reminded of something I saw when Trump was elected in 2016: “ Inauguration tomorrow. Don’t forget to set your clocks back 50 years.”]