Pulaski election officials to vote on whether to let the feds into the polls, and Mayor Scott weighs in

Pulaski County election commissioners are set to vote tonight on whether to allow federal election monitors from the Department of Justice inside polling places, or require them to wait outside, as everyone else who’s not casting a ballot is required to do.

Election commissioners in Washington County, the other Arkansas location the Trump administration targeted to be monitored, voted on the same issue earlier this week. Citing late notice and a lack of clarity about why Washington County was singled out, they declined the request.

The monitors bound for Washington and Pulaski counties are part of a nationwide, 1,000-strong team dispatched by the Trump administration. It’s not uncommon for federal election monitors to keep their eyes on the polls, but the size of this year’s operation for a midterm election is unusual. Biden sent fewer than 400 monitors out in 2022.

Pulaski County, the most populous in the state, reliably votes blue. Washington County, the state’s third most populous, went red by only two points in 2024.

Ahead of the Pulaski County Election Commission’s vote set for 7 p. m. at the Pulaski County Regional Building at 501 W. Markham, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. issued a statement questioning the motives of the Department of Justice and encouraging voters to cast their ballots early, before potentially intimidating feds even arrive.

Here’s his statement:

“The right to vote is sacred. Generations of Americans fought, marched, and sacrificed for it. No voter in Little Rock or anywhere in Pulaski County should feel watched, threatened, or intimidated while exercising that right.

“Pulaski County does not need federal election monitors at our polling places on Election Day. Our Circuit and County Clerk, Terri Hollingsworth, and the Pulaski County Election Commission have a long record of administering secure, fair and orderly elections. Together, they oversee critical safeguards throughout the election process, from voter registration and absentee voting to poll worker training and ballot counting.

“Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester described Arkansas as having the most secure elections in the country in 2025. His predecessor, John Thurston, made a similar declaration in 2022. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders also publicly celebrated Arkansas’ No. 1 ranking on the Heritage Foundation’s 2025 Election Integrity Scorecard.

“So why has the Department of Justice singled out Pulaski County for federal monitoring without publicly explaining the need?

“Our elections must remain free from unnecessary federal interference. I urge the Pulaski County Election Commission to reject this request when it meets tonight and uphold the integrity and independence of our local elections.

“Let me also be clear to voters: Go out and vote. Do it now. You do not have to wait until Election Day. Early voting is underway, and CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO FEDERAL MONITORS at our voting locations. You can find where to vote and hours at VotePulaskiAR.gov.

“Regardless of the Commission’s decision tonight, every voter deserves to cast a ballot free from intimidation, obstruction, or interference.

“Our community knows how to conduct elections. We trust our election workers, we respect our voters, and we will defend the right of every citizen to make their voice heard.”