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reports will help the office clean up outdated records and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
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.
4
R
estoration remains an ongoing process at the State Capitol,
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
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.

5
 Other projects conducted by the Buildings & Grounds staff:
 Redesigned lighting around Capitol  Lessened the Capitol’s carbon footprint
entrances and the dome to improve safety by replacing more than 85 percent of
and create a more dramatic nightscape incandescent bulbs throughout the
building with energy-efficient compact
 Replaced the lower roof to stop leaks in
fluorescent and LED bulbs
office areas on the lower level, and
renovated the Capitol’s exhaust system  Updated irrigation system heads, piping,
valves and controls
 Reinforced a loose section of the central
rotunda banister, re-grouted joints and  Completed extensive concrete work
repaired chips in the marble dating from behind the Capitol Hill building, upgraded
1992 exterior lighting and replaced its outdated
wheelchair lift
 Installed new appliances and
ventilation in the Capitol Café  Rewired the Bicentennial Fountain and
installed energy-saving LED lights
 Renovated
workspace in the  Renovated the Law Enforcement Officers
offices of the Memorial, adding lights and a central
Business and flagpole, cleaning stonework and raising
Mechanical the signage to improve visibility, partially
& Electrical funded by donations from the Memorial
departments Committee
 Installed a new shade garden surrounding
 Improved a majestic oak tree on the southeast lawn
safety of primary  Worked year-round installing and
stair cases by maintaining seasonal plantings to brighten
adding a center the Capitol lawn
handrail leading from
the first to second
floors

6
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
 � apitol �isitor ��nt�r
�e

�nfirst
October 2007, Secretary of State Charlie Daniels unveiled a complete re-design of the
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
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.

After 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
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
After programming. Watch for Connect Here signs at other
hotspots, including the Capitol Cafe, second floor rotunda,
snack stand and the Capitol Hill building.

8
 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 The Business & Commercial
of which had not updated their records since first incorporating
Services Division is Arkansas’s
decades ago. The Secretary of State’s office pursued the legislation
in an effort to clean up records and remove defunct entities. The
starting point for entrepreneurs
new law requires all nonprofits to submit annual reports by August 1 wishing to transact business in
with information to include: the state. Consumers can search
• Name of the corporation for a unique name for their
• Corporation’s jurisdiction start-up company as well as
• Name and address of the corporation’s
file for incorporation or other
registered agent
classification. The BCS Division
• Name and address of the corporation’s
principal offices also collects franchise taxes,
• Names and addresses of the corporation’s directors records trademarks, files notary

To implement the new reporting mandate, BCS conducted a public certifications, issues
massive outreach campaign to collect current contact information Authentication of Documents and
on nonprofits leading up to the first reporting deadline on August Apostilles and records Uniform
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.

9
 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
Franchise Tax Revenue $9.2 million $19 million $19.7 million $21 million $20.6 million
* 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.

10
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.

These efforts were recognized in

BCS Advisory Council meeting 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.

11
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.

12
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.
14
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
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.

15
 2008 Website Visitors
Topic Site Visits
www.sos.arkansas.gov general 2 million
www.arelections.org candidates/election results 375,469
www.soskids.arkansas.gov education 275,000
www.votenaturally.org voter education 217,549
www.wannabeheard.org young voters 9,000

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

16
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 Guided Capitol Tour
began developing an audio tour program
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.

17
 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
Capitol representing Arkansas after donating
components for Utah’s rotunda chandelier, a
twin to Arkansas’s Mitchell-Vance fixture.
 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
by CNN as well as a Sister Cities event that
included a performance by traditional deer
dancers from Japan
 Arranged and indexed archived gubernatorial
proclamations
 Coordinated the annual holiday lighting
ceremony and festival of choirs
 Coordinated numerous special events at
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

18
 Elections

O
n the heels of historic federal election reforms that The Secretary of State serves as the
took full effect in 2006, the Elections Division spent 2007 chief elections official for the state
preparing for even more changes early in the next election
of Arkansas, maintaining records
cycle. The General Assembly enacted legislation in 2005 to hold
of all federal, state and district
an earlier presidential primary in order to increase the state’s
prominence in selecting party nominees. Other states followed suit, elections held in the state. This
however, resulting in 24 states holding primaries or caucuses the includes all stages of the elections
same day. process, from filing candidates
for office and maintaining their
Election Day on February 5, 2008, was also dramatically affected
by deadly tornadoes that swept across the northern third of the
financial reports to certifying
state just as polls neared closing. The storms cut power and and recording vote totals. Under
damaged some facilities in nine counties: Craighead, Crittenden, the federal Help America Vote
Cross, Izard, Jackson, Pope, Sharp, Stone and Van Buren. Act — implemented in 2006 —
Thankfully no poll workers or voters were injured, and voting the responsibilities of the office
equipment and ballots remained secured. Because of power
greatly expanded from one of
outages and widespread damage, four of those counties were
record-keeper and resource to
forced to delay tabulating and reporting official results, but the
Secretary of State was able to certify all results by February 29. that of election administrator
and compliance officer.
Voter turnout for the new primary was 35 percent of registered
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.
19
 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
Old Supreme Court chamber. Delegates formally cast
Candidate Filing 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
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.

20
 2008 Voter Turnout
Presidential Preferential General
Primary Primary 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.
Poll Workers
SJR4 (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.

21
 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:

22
 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
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
 Processing monthly and quarterly financial
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

23
 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.
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.
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
www.VoteNaturally.org
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.
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 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.
 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 The Information Technology
across the state.
Division is a vital support service
In 2007, IT staff headed a major installation that brought free of the Secretary of State’s office.
wireless access to public areas such as the Capitol Café, the first
Its staff of technicians and
floor Visitor’s Center, second floor rotunda, third floor snack
area, as well as the Capitol Hill building and training facilities in
programming specialists works
the Victory Building.  This wireless access also enables Secretary to stay on the leading edge of
of State staff to log onto the office’s private network, a capability technological advancements
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
but also the office’s many
area. Tour staff operated with a laptop computer and wireless
constituents. With the office’s new
card at a temporary station while the Gift Shop stayed connected
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
legislative personnel and other Capitol visitors, it also provides approximately 750 users in 85
connectivity between entities. For example, a wireless bridge locations across the state.
now connects the State Treasurer’s office on the third floor and
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.

25
 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.

26
 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
to shopping and security,
The Executive Office also adopted a simpler process for flag
proclamations. Orders for flags to be flown at half-staff are now the Secretary of State’s
transmitted through e-mail rather than fax, which distributes support divisions provide a
these important notices much faster and more efficiently. wide range of services for
the office and the public.
Legal Department
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.

27
 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.

28
 In the Human Resources office, the largest increase
of services was within the benefits area. Overall,
participation in open enrollment and the Capitol-
wide 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.

29
 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: arsos@sos.arkansas.gov
On the Web: www.sos.arkansas.gov

BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES 501-682-3409

Suite 250, Victory Bldg., 1401 Capitol Ave. 888-233-0325

BUSINESS OFFICE 501-682-8032

Room 012, State Capitol

CAPITOL BUILDING AND GROUNDS 501-682-2115

Room 015, State Capitol

CAPITOL EVENTS 501-682-3042

Room 04, State Capitol

CAPITOL SECURITY 501-682-5173

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 501-682-5070
Room 026, State Capitol 800-482-1127

HISTORIAN 501-683-3187
Room 017, State Capitol

SPEAKERS BUREAU 501-683-3702

Room 01, State Capitol

TDD/TTY 501-682-3420
800-262-4704

32
 Charlie Daniels
Arkansas Secretary of State
State Capitol Room 256
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

501.682.1010

www.sos.arkansas.gov