Big numbers for 1st day of early voting.

Looks like early voting is a hit in Arkansas. The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports that all counties saw heavy turnout yesterday.

With Democrats and Republicans trying to get their voters to the polls as early as possible, county courthouses around the state saw a heavy turnout Tuesday, the first day of voting in the election that culminates on Nov. 2. "This has been a busy time," said Barbara Clark, office manager at the St. Francis County clerk’s office in Forrest City. "We’ve had stormy weather and [turnout] has been pretty steady."
[...]
In Northwest Arkansas, population growth and high voter interest combined to bring record numbers to county courthouses.

Washington County experienced what appeared to be an all-time high for one day of early voting, County Clerk Karen Combs-Pritchard said. By 10 a.m., 200 people had voted, and lines formed throughout the day.

According to this article, Pulaski county is using touch screen voting machines at their polling places. This is dissappointing news to me. I didn't know Arkansas was using them anywhere.

Early voting in the Pulaski County Courthouse at 401 W. Markham St. in Little Rock was conducted on five touch-screen machines. Trainers explained to voters how to use them. The process was simple and voting took only a few minutes for most voters.
[...]
One of Pulaski County’s early voters was Bill Wilson, a U.S. District Judge in Little Rock. "First computer I ever used," he said after completing his ballot at a touch screen. Then, raising his large hand for illustration, he added, "These big old paws don't work too well on it."

Yet another problem with these machines: people unfamiliar with computers or with bad hand-eye coordination might not have such an easy time using them.

I would urge all Pulaski County residents to use an absentee ballot in order to avoid problems with your vote. Here is some information about the process, and here is the ballot itself, in PDF format.