Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
2005-2006
Charlie Daniels
Arkansas Secretary of State
Greetings from the
Arkansas State Capitol
I n the second half of my first term as Secretary of State,
we have seen many of our earlier plans come to fruition.
Two of the most notable of these accomplishments are the
restoration of the Capitol dome and the full implementation of the
Help America Vote Act. But those projects are only a part of the
ongoing work of the office, as you’ll note in the pages of this
biennial report that I am proud to present to you.
One of the responsibilities that I most enjoy is the care of the State
Capitol building and its surrounding 25-acre grounds. In 2005,
we began our most visible work — restoring and repairing the
dome and building facades that had been stained and damaged by
time and elements. Look to the photos on the facing page and gauge
the progress for yourself. As additional grants and appropriations
become available, we will continue restorations on the remaining
surfaces to preserve this great structure for many more generations.
Charlie Daniels
Arkansas Secretary of State
Contents
Buildings & Grounds..................... 4
Business & Commercial Services.... 7
Communications & Education.......11
Elections Division........................ 16
Information Technology............... 21
Other Divisions............................ 23
Before After
Contact Information.................... 24
Buildings
& Grounds
C
aring for the State Capitol, which is nearing its century
mark, is an ongoing endeavor that requires careful
The 247,000 square-foot planning and prioritization, as well as skilled tradesmen.
Arkansas State Capitol and By protecting, maintaining and showcasing one of Arkansas’s
greatest historic treasures, Secretary Daniels ensures the
the 25-acre area surrounding the
Capitol’s legacy for future generations.
building are under the care of the
Buildings & Grounds Division of In addition to the daily care of the State Capitol complex
throughout 2005 and 2006, Secretary Daniels and his staff
the Secretary of State’s office. In
continued their extensive work to repair the damage of time and
addition to daily housekeeping
use to restore and maintain the Capitol’s exterior structure. It is
and maintenance, the division a multi-phase project that will continue as more funds become
provides many services including available to rejuvenate the entire facade and dome.
construction, mechanical,
electrical and landscaping work.
Restoring the Luster
Staff members also coordinate The Secretary of State’s office received more than $1.47 million
the many events held at the State in grants from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources
Council (ANCRC) to begin restoring the State Capitol’s exterior
Capitol and set up facilities for
— the first such effort in four decades.
press conferences, demonstrations,
celebrations and other functions. Repairs and restoration began in 2005, focusing on the dome,
north facade and dome platform. The first phase of the project
began by assessing damage caused by pollution, organic matter
and previous cleaning techniques — resurfacing, sandblasting
and synthetic caulking — that actually accelerated damage.
With the cured limestone surfaces opened, water easily seeped
in and became trapped behind the sealed joints for decades.
Ornamental elements and ledges bore the most harm and were
at the greatest risk for cracks and erosion.
4
To evaluate the current condition of the Capitol, the
Mississippi Stone Guild of Eupora, Miss., conducted the
initial survey of the dome’s surface in cooperation with
the Little Rock Climbing Center. To get a first-hand
view, climbers rappelled the slope of the Capitol dome,
photographing damage for further review.
To continue work on the remaining facade, the Secretary of State’s office will pursue additional
ANCRC grants — the sole source of additional funding for the restorations.
5
Testament The Monument to the Little Rock Nine
T
The hostility of 1957 stands in stark contrast to the spirit of celebration
on August 30, 2005, when Testament, the monument to the Little Rock
Nine, was unveiled. More than 2,000 dignitaries, school children, families
and others attended the event to honor the nine students who integrated
Little Rock Central High in 1957: Melba Pattillo Beals, Elizabeth Eckford,
Ernest Green, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Terrence Roberts,
Jefferson Thomas, Minnijean Brown Trickey and Thelma Mothershed Wair.
4
Business
& Commercial
Services
T
he Business & Commercial Services Division continued
to reach milestones in its quest for better services to
Arkansas’s business community. Expanded outreach The Business & Commercial
programs, improved processing systems and other Services Division is Arkansas’s
education efforts have paved the way for faster, more starting point for entrepreneurs
convenient and more accurate corporate filings.
wishing to transact business
A number of improvements within the division were in the state. Consumers can
based on suggestions from a new Advisory Council. search for a unique name for
The members consist of 20 professionals from diverse
their start-up company as well
fields such as law, banking, accounting, retail and service
as file for incorporation or
businesses, as well as notaries, elected officials and
corporate officers. The group meets regularly to weigh other classification. The BCS
in on ways to enhance business services and to help Division also collects franchise
evaluate the impact of proposed legislation. After the taxes, records trademarks, files
first meeting in January 2006, Secretary Daniels stated,
notary public certifications,
“This is the way it should be: community and government
issues Authentication of
working together for a common cause.”
Documents and Apostilles,
A Wider Web and records Uniform
Commercial Code filings.
Online filings continued to increase in 2005 and 2006
due to system improvements such as batch filing. This
feature is largely utilized by certified public accountants
who file for multiple clients. Batch filing allows users to
build an online profile that can contain multiple taxpayers.
These entries may be filed simultaneously and the
information saved for use in the following year. This
saves the CPA the time and effort it takes to manually
enter recurring information.
7
New Franchise Tax Rates
In an effort to fund improvements in Arkansas’s public schools, the state legislature passed
Act 94 of 2003, changing both the amounts and deadline for paying franchise taxes.
Beginning in 2005, the deadline moved from June 1 to May 1 of each year, and the fee
schedule tripled for most categories. (See chart below.) The additional revenue is
earmarked for the Arkansas Educational Adequacy Fund.
To make registered businesses aware of the tax change, the division embarked on a public
awareness campaign that involved local newspapers, radio and direct mail. This campaign along
with convenient online filing options led to a new record for processing annual franchise tax filings
in 2005. Businesses filing on time reached 80 percent in 2005 and improved to 83 percent in 2006.
Over one-fifth of the filings occurred online. That success allowed our staff to process payments in
weeks instead of months, completing them by mid-July instead of October as in previous years.
Insurance Corporation
Legal Reserve Mutual, $100 $300
Assets Less Than $100 million
Insurance Corporation
Legal Reserve Mutual, Assets $200 $400
Greater Than $100 million
Insurance Company
Outstanding Capital Stock $100 $300
Less Than $500,000
Insurance Company
Outstanding Capital Stock $200 $400
Greater Than $500,000
0.27% of outstanding 0.3% of outstanding
Mortgage Loan Corporation capital stock; $100 capital stock; $300
minimum minimum
Mutual Assessment Insurance Corp. $100 $300
8
In 2006, BCS staff took the educational
seminars “on the road,” expanding
training to an additional 1,400 people
in 36 cities across the state. In
addition to the public seminars,
numerous on-site classes
were conducted for individual
businesses and small groups.
To promote the batch filing service, BCS staff offered on-site demonstrations of this online
process, providing hands-on training for companies and individuals who wished to learn more
about the convenience and time-saving service.
Among its other publications, the Secretary of State’s office updated its Notary Handbook
to be distributed to new and renewing notaries public and at the free seminars. The office also
introduced Doing Business in Arkansas, a comprehensive guide to establishing an Arkansas
business entity, and continued publishing its quarterly newsletter for businesses, Arkansas, Inc.
Outreach staff also began attending business expos across the state to provide first-hand
information to business owners and potential entrepreneurs.
9
BCS by the Numbers
2004 2005* 2006
Franchise Tax Reports Issued 89,800 95,000 98,000
Companies Filing by Deadline 76,300 80,900
Franchise Tax Revenue $9.2 million $19 million $19.7 million
* First reporting year under
revised payment schedule.
10
Communications
& Education
T
he programs and resources produced for young
Arkansans form the cornerstone of the
Communications & Education Division. This The Communications & Education
team utilizes the State Capitol as a living classroom
Division is a multi‑discipline
on state history and civics, and it doesn’t end there.
service that strives to educate
Resources such as activity packets, curriculum aides
and dedicated Web sites help provide teachers with the young and young-at-heart
much-needed tools at no cost to local schools. about elections, the State Capitol,
During 2005 and 2006, more than 800 teachers participated citizenship and Arkansas history.
in the division’s regional in-service seminars called Using Its diverse responsibilities include
the State Capitol to Teach. In the sessions, educators are
student programs, voter education,
introduced to resources such as the state symbol activity
State Capitol tours and visitor
books, educational games and civics curriculum that the
Secretary of State produces, as well as the Traveler’s Guide services, community outreach,
to Arkansas, the office’s website for students. It features historic exhibits, event planning
games, governors’ biographies, state demographics and other and website management. Its
information that supplements classroom materials.
staff strives to serve the public
In 2006, the division was awarded a $1,000 grant from at large as well as provide
the Arkansas Humanities Council to develop a strategy and creative services for all areas of
outline for K-8 Arkansas specific civics curriculum. With
the Secretary of State’s office.
that funding, the Secretary of State’s office is working
with a panel of educators from around the state to develop
lessons and supporting materials for civics education
in the state’s primary and middle schools.
11
Communications & Education also continued programs that engage young Arkansans in the voting
process through National Young Voters Month activities in March. Students from 35 schools learned
about the fight for civil rights and the value of the vote through interactive skits, readings and current
events discussions. In October 2006, the Secretary of State’s office also coordinated Arkansas’s part in
the National Student-Parent Mock Election.
The division also assisted with HAVA implementation by coordinating training video conferences for
poll workers and election officials, screening applicants for site support positions, providing educational
materials to county officials and demonstrating
touchscreen voting machines at public events.
History On Display
The division partners with many Arkansas
museums and organizations to present both
permanent and seasonal exhibits throughout the
Capitol. Installations in 2005 and 2006 involved
more than 400 artifacts and images reproduced
for the exhibits. A number of materials created for
the Capitol displays enjoyed a second
A Specia
l Black
History
Through the
Month Ex
hibit
Power fu
new gallery space on the building’s lower
l
of Africa images
n-
Arkansas American life
Delta, 19 in th
52-197 1 e
level. Through the Lens of Rogerline
February Johnson showcased the work of the
1-28
, 2005
Lower Le
vel Galle
State Capi ry Helena photographer who captured life
tol
in African-American communities during
Presented
12
Constitution Day
Other exhibits coordinated
by the office included:
War Letters, a display wartime
letters from Arkansas service
personnel, and Election
Central 2006 presented in
conjunction with the Arkansas
Educational Television Network
On Guard Across Arkansas recognizing the 70th anniversary of the Arkansas State Police
Trains (Slow and Fast) Through Arkansas, which marked the “golden age” of railroading
in the state
Savoring the Waters: The Early Years at Uncle Sam’s Spa, marking the 175th anniversary
of Hot Springs National Park
Children are the Future: A World Fit for Children, a traveling exhibit created by Soka
Gakkai International
Secretary Daniels and Senator Steve Faris co-hosted a book signing event at the Capitol to
celebrate one of the state’s early stars of country music, Maxine Brown. More than 200 friends
and fans lined up for a copy of “Looking Back to See,” a memoir of the Sparkman native’s career
with the famed vocal trio The Browns.
The office worked closely with members of the 39th Infantry Brigade of the Arkansas National
Guard to honor the 33 soldiers who died while the troops were deployed in 2005. More than
1,500 motorcyclists ended their parade at the steps of the Capitol and were joined by over
500 family, friends and general public to honor the soldiers who died while serving in Iraq.
In 2006, Secretary Daniels hosted an audience of active military and veterans to observe National
Armed Forces Voters Week. It was an opportunity to raise awareness among election officials and
troops alike of pending deadlines that affected overseas voters.
The year 2005 marked the 85th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that
granted women the right to vote. Com-Ed staff created life-size panels of noted suffragettes for
display in the Capitol rotunda and hosted a rally to open the exhibit. Dr. Joycelyn Elders, former
U.S. Surgeon General, served as the keynote speaker at the opening.
13
Salute to the Fallen of the 39th Brigade
Continuing a long-standing tradition for the holidays, the division organizes the
annual Capitol Lighting Ceremony and other festivities during December. Thousands of
guests visit during this time to enjoy a wonderland of decorations, fireworks and
performances by more than 100 school choirs.
As part of an ongoing partnership with the Arkansas Sister Cities program, the Secretary of State’s
office sponsored the 2005 Arkansas Sister Cities Conference at the State Capitol. Attendees learned
ways to develop and maintain international partnerships and discussed ways to build on the current
Sister Cities program beyond the seven participating communities in the state.
15
Elections
Modernizing Elections
N
The Secretary of State serves as the ationwide problems that occurred during the 2000
chief elections official for the state of presidential election brought to light the need for new
Arkansas, maintaining records of all federal and state election practices. In response, Congress
mandated changes in almost every part of the voting process,
federal, state and district elections
from voter registration to the types of voting equipment used
held in the state. This includes all at the polls. The goal of the federal Help America Vote Act of
stages of the elections process, from 2002 (HAVA) was to make registering and voting as simple as
filing candidates for office and possible and to ensure accessibility and accuracy. It has been
maintaining their financial reports to the largest federally mandated election-reform law in history.
certifying and recording vote totals. During 2005 and 2006, the Elections Division continued its
Under the federal Help America close coordination with county election officials to implement
Vote Act, the responsibilities of the HAVA. After a careful review and discussion, the Secretary
of State guided the installation of a uniform, centralized
office have greatly expanded from
voter registration system, as well as three types of electronic
one of record-keeper and resource
voting systems to comply with the mandates of HAVA. These
to that of an administrator and changes brought an end to punch cards, lever machines and
compliance officer. The law went into hand counted paper ballots in the state and greatly improved
full effect with the 2006 elections. technological access to voter registration data. To date,
Arkansas has received more than $29.5 million in federal
funding and matching state dollars to purchase equipment and
software, train election workers and educate voters.
A Network of Voters
The first phase of HAVA requirements that the Elections Division
implemented was a new voter registration system. After a
rigorous three-month selection process, Secretary Daniels
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awarded the $5 million contract for a new
centralized voter registration system to Election
Systems & Software (ES&S) over proposals The Network of Voters in Arkansas
submitted by Saber Consulting of Salem, Ore.,
and Accenture LLP of Reston, Va. The resulting Network of Voters
in Arkansas (NOVA) began in mid-2005 with five pilot counties —
Boone, Benton, Faulkner, Monroe and Ouachita — then expanded
to all 75 counties by December. Installation included updating
computes, providing high-speed internet access in each county V TER VIEW
VOTER
clerk’s office and offering training and support.
Am I registered? Where do I vote? Find out now!
The new Web-based system replaces a program that was
installed in 1996 under the National Voter Registration Act. While
the previous system maintained a separate database in each county, NOVA is a secure networked
system that allows information to be shared across county lines. It improves the state’s ability to
maintain the system and the counties’ process for managing voter records. Election officials can now
v ter view
share data with other county clerks, the Division of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Health and the
Department of Community Punishment. More communication helps prevent fraudulent registrations,
eliminate
Am I registered? Where doduplicate
I vote? Find records,
out now. transfer voters and reduce bloated voter rosters. Officials also use the new V TER VIEW
VOTER VIE
software features to assign voting districts, qualify candidates and organize elections.
An important tool available to voters through the new system is Voter View. It’s a fast and easy way
to check voter registration status online at www.VoteNaturally.org. By entering simple information,
voters can see instantly whether they are currently registered and where their polling site is located.
Thanks in part to a special election in December 2005 that accelerated Arkansas’s HAVA plan,
Arkansas was ahead of at least 20 other states that missed the January 2006 deadline for installing
HAVA-compliant voter registration systems. In fact, during its 2006 winter meeting in Washington,
D.C., the National Association of State Election Directors highlighted Arkansas among a handful of
successful HAVA implementation programs.
In addition to accessible units, each county selected one of three options for their
voting and tabulation systems: all-electronic touch screens, precinct-count optical scan
systems or central-count optical scan systems. This allowed local officials to choose the most
efficient, cost-effective option for their county to cast and count votes. The Elections Division
administered the federal funding for counties to purchase the new equipment, allowing
Arkansas to fully comply with HAVA’s requirements in time for the 2006 General Election.
A vital component of the HAVA transition was — and continues to be — the training of the state’s 216
county election commissioners, 72 county clerks, and 22 county election coordinators in the counties
implementing new systems. The division’s team of election coordinators serve as a clearinghouse of
information and traveled the state to provide on-site training as well as regional and state workshops
on topics such as installing and testing voting machines, training poll workers and using the tabulation
software for election results. One important series was developed in partnership with the University of
Central Arkansas to provide remote training sessions. These interactive
Optical Scan Ballot video conferences helped reduce the cost and time of traveling to
distant sites. In the weeks leading up to the General Election, the
Secretary of State’s office held daily phone conferences with county
officials to issue up-to-the-minute information and help counties
work through issues as they worked to implement their new systems.
18
Candidate Filing & Election Administration
In addition to the changes in voting systems, the Secretary of State’s office assists counties with the
administrative duties of primary, general, special and school elections. In 2006, that included filing
286 party candidates for federal, state and district offices, which was a 20% increase over 2004.
Act 138 —Allows early and absentee ballots to be comply with election certification deadlines.
counted on election day before the polls close. Act 751 — Provides for special absentee ballots for
Act 501 —Presidential Preferential Primary elections members of the uniformed services and citizens
are to be held the first Tuesday in February of the residing outside the U.S.
year in which the convention is held. The two-
Act 1952 — Requires applications collected at events
week filing period will begin at noon on the first
such as voter registration drives to be delivered
Monday in November.
within 21 days and no later than the registration
Act 654 — Requires new direct read electronic voting deadline for the next election.
machines to provide a voter verified paper audit
trail. Act 2145 — Requires special elections to be held on
the second Tuesday of a month or on the date of
Act 655— Changes early voting hours and disallows
primary or general elections.
early voting on state holidays; provides for secure
storage of election materials after voting hours; Act 2233 — Provides for the acquisition, use
and requires early voting hours of 10 a.m. to 4 and costs of voting systems that comply with
p.m. on Saturday. the federal Help America Vote Act. Outlines
Act 731 — Requires the Secretary of State to file responsibilities for the Secretary of State and
a complaint with the State Board of Election counties. Requires lever machines and punch card
Commissioners for county boards that do not voting to be replaced.
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My Voice. My Vote.
For My Arkansas
With so many changes in the routine of voting in Arkansas, the Secretary of
State’s office made it a top priority to raise awareness of the new laws among
the state’s registered voters.
Using HAVA funds earmarked for public education, the Elections and
Communications & Education divisions worked together to develop a
comprehensive outreach program designed to prepare Arkansans for
the big changes ahead.
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Information
Technology
T
he Secretary of State’s Information Technology Division’s
major projects in 2005 and 2006 focused on ambitious
new undertakings of both the Elections and Business &
Commercial Services divisions. In addition to helping The Information Technology
implement a statewide voter registration system as
Division is a vital support service
well as an all-encompassing database for business
of the Secretary of State’s office.
entities, the IT staff addresses the day-to-day
troubleshooting and maintenance needs to keep Its staff of technicians and
the office’s systems up and running. programming specialists works
to stay on the leading edge of
Networking Voters technological advancements
IT completed the initial set up of computers used in each to benefit not only employees,
county seat for the Network of Voters in Arkansas (NOVA),
but also the office’s many
coordinating with the state’s voter software vendor,
constituents. With the office’s new
internet service provider and the Arkansas Department of
Information Systems. IT staff visited each county to install voter registration system, the IT
software and verify that the Wide Area Network (WAN) set up Division now provides support to
by DIS was operational. county election officials, totalling
21
of the county sites. County election commissions —
many of which have no dedicated office space
or equipment -- also were provided laptops loaded
with the vote tabulation software for use with
electronic voting systems.
22
Other
Di v isions
Business Office
The administration’s fiscal office provides payroll, accounting,
purchasing, human resources and mailroom services. The
department manages appropriations and collections under
the office’s legislature-approved budget. In addition to
administering grants for Capitol restorations, elections education
and equipment, the staff processes franchise tax revenues and
corporate filing fees.
Legal Department
This three-member staff helps draft legislation related to
elections, business and other areas of the Secretary of State’s
responsibilities. In addition to addressing legal questions
pertaining to incorporating businesses and notaries public,
staff counsel also provides guidance for state and local
officials on the many laws governing voting and elections.
23
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
ELECTIONS 501-682-5070
Room 026, State Capitol 800-482-1127
HISTORIAN 501-683-3187
Room 017, 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