7 CAR pt. 70 | 7 CAR Part 70 — Rules for Reimbursement of Expenses for State-Funded Elections

Chapter III

Subchapter D

Subpart 1

7 CAR § 70-101 Scope {#sec-7-car-70-101 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-101}

7 CAR § 70-101. Scope.

(a) This part sets forth general procedures for distribution of funds from the state to the counties for election expenses related to state-funded elections.

(b) This part is in addition to and not a substitute for the laws of the State of Arkansas.

7 CAR § 70-102 Definitions {#sec-7-car-70-102 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-102}

7 CAR § 70-102. Definitions.

As used in this part:

(1) “Canvassing” means examining and counting the returns of votes cast at a public election to determine authenticity;

(2) “County board” means the county board of election commissioners;

(3) “Election expenses” means costs incurred by a county for conducting a state-funded election, poll workers’ pay, extra help pay, mileage expenses, election commissioners’ pay, supply costs, programming costs, ballot printing costs, legal advertising costs, and facility fees, as specified in this part established by the State Board of Election Commissioners;

(4) “Election official” means:

(A) A member of the county board of election commissioners;

(B) One who performs election coordinator duties;

(i) Election clerk;

(ii) Election judge; or

(iii) Election sheriff;

(D) A deputy county clerk; or

(E) A person assigned by a county clerk to conduct early voting;

(5) “Electronic vote tabulating device” means a device, commonly referred to as an optical scanner, used to electronically scan a marked paper ballot for the purpose of tabulation;

(6)(A) “Extra help” means temporary full-time, temporary part-time, or contract labor employed by a county to assist the county board of election commissioners.

(B) For the purpose of this part, a “temporary county employee” is defined as any person employed only during limited parts of the year to assist county election commissions in conducting elections;

(7) “Nonpartisan general election” means the regular biennial election held on the same date and at the same time and places as for a preferential primary election for election of a:

(A) Justice of the Supreme Court;

(B) Judge of the Court of Appeals;

(D) Prosecuting attorney; and

(E) District judge;

(8) “Offsite early voting” means polling sites for early voting that are:

(A) Located outside the office of the county clerk; and

(B) Under the direction and supervision of the county board of election commissioners;

(9) “Permanent county employee” means any person who is not “extra help” as defined by this part, one who is employed by the county on a permanent full-time or permanent part-time basis;

(10) “Poll worker” means an election official designated by the county board of election commissioners to be an election clerk, election judge, or election sheriff at a polling site;

(11) “Polling site” means a location selected by the county board of election commissioners where votes are cast;

(12) “Primary election” means any election held to select the nominees of a political party for election at any general or special election in this state;

(13) “Public meeting” means any gathering consistent with the definition established under the Freedom of Information Act of 1967, Arkansas Code § 25-19-101 et seq.;

(14) “Special election” means any specially scheduled election to:

(A) Fill vacancies; or

(B) Approve any measure;

(15) “State board” means the State Board of Election Commissioners;

(16) “State-funded elections” means:

(A) Preferential primary elections;

(B) General primary elections;

(D) Nonpartisan general elections; and

(E) Statewide special elections;

(17) “Vote center” means an election day location designated by the county board of election commissioners at which a qualified elector from any precinct in the county holding the election may vote; and

(18)(A) “Voting system” means the total combination of mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic equipment, including the software, firmware, and documentation required to program, control, and support the equipment that is used to:

(i) Define ballots;

(ii) Cast and count votes;

(iii) Report or display election results; and

(iv) Maintain and produce any audit trail information.

(B) “Voting system” also includes the practices and documentation used to:

(i) Identify system components and versions of components;

(ii) Test the system during its development and maintenance;

(iii) Maintain records of system errors and defects;

(iv) Determine specific system changes to be made to a system after the initial qualification of the system; and

(v) Make available any materials to the voter, including without limitation:

(a) Notices;

(b) Instructions;

(d) Paper ballots.

7 CAR § 70-103 State funding of elections {#sec-7-car-70-103 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-103}

7 CAR § 70-103. State funding of elections.

(a) The State Board of Election Commissioners is statutorily charged with funding elections designated by law as state-funded using funds appropriated to the State Board of Election Commissioners for election expenses of:

(1) The State Board of Election Commissioners; and

(2) A county board of election commissioners.

(b)(1) State-funded elections include:

(A) Preferential primary elections;

(B) General primary elections;

(D) Nonpartisan general elections; and

(E) Statewide special elections.

(2) See Arkansas Code §§ 7-4-101(f)(11) and 7-7-201(a).

7 CAR § 70-104 Withholding of state funding {#sec-7-car-70-104 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-104}

7 CAR § 70-104. Withholding of state funding.

(a) The State Board of Election Commissioners may withhold funding for eligible state-funded election expenses from any county that fails to comply with the rules developed by the board for the administration of primary elections or fails to comply with applicable state election laws until all requirements are met to the satisfaction of the board, Arkansas Code § 7-7-201(b)(3).

(b)(1) Failure to comply with this part established by the board or failure to deliver to the Secretary of State certified results of the election and any additional election information designated by the Secretary of State may result in withholding of funding for eligible state-funded election expenses to the county until all requirements are met to the satisfaction of the board.

(2) See Arkansas Code §§ 7-5-701(c)(2), 7-4-101(f), 7-4-121(b), election audits, and 7-5-707.

7 CAR § 70-105 Advance funding {#sec-7-car-70-105 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-105}

7 CAR § 70-105. Advance funding.

(a) Following each regular legislative session, the State Board of Election Commissioners will establish an estimated average cost per registered voter by county for conducting statewide special elections and for conducting preferential primary elections based upon databases of comparative state-funded election costs maintained by the State Board of Election Commissioners.

(b) A county is eligible to receive funding from the State Board of Election Commissioners before any statewide special election or preferential primary election upon proper request made to the State Board of Election Commissioners by the county board of election commissioners.

(1) In writing under the signature of all three (3) commissioners; and

(2) Received by the State Board of Election Commissioners at least thirty (30) days before the:

(A) Statewide special election; or

(B) Preferential primary election.

(d) Upon review and approval by staff, the county treasurer will receive funding from the State Board of Election Commissioners based upon:

(1) One-half (1/2) of the county’s previously estimated cost per registered voter for conducting the election; or

(2) A minimum of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for a statewide special election or five thousand dollars ($5,000) for a preferential primary election, whichever is greater.

(e) The respective county will:

(1) Disburse the funds allocated for election expenses; and

(2) Establish a separate expense code to track and monitor payments made with state funds.

7 CAR § 70-106 Funding of eligible expenses {#sec-7-car-70-106 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-106}

7 CAR § 70-106. Funding of eligible expenses.

(a) Before each state-funded election, the State Board of Election Commissioners will furnish each county board of election commissioners with comprehensive guidelines, instructions, and worksheets for requesting payment from the State Board of Election Commissioners for eligible state-funded election expenses.

(b) After each state-funded election, the county board of election commissioners must submit to the State Board of Election Commissioners copies of invoices, receipts, and all other required documentation in support of eligible election expenses incurred in conducting the state-funded election.

(c)(1) A county is eligible to receive funding from the State Board of Election Commissioners after the state-funded election upon proper request made to the State Board of Election Commissioners by the county board of election commissioners.

(2) The county board of election commissioners may designate one (1) or more persons to submit its county’s request for reimbursement to the State Board of Election Commissioners.

(d) A county must follow all instructions and submit its request according to State Board of Election Commissioners rules and guidelines to maximize receipt of funding for eligible state-funded election expenses from the State Board of Election Commissioners.

(e)(1) Upon review by staff and approval by the State Board of Election Commissioners, each county treasurer will receive funding from the State Board of Election Commissioners for eligible state-funded election expenses as defined by this part.

(2) The respective county will:

(A) Disburse the funds allocated for election expenses; and

(B) Establish a separate expense code to track and monitor payments made with state funds.

7 CAR § 70-107 Uniform and consistent funding {#sec-7-car-70-107 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-107}

7 CAR § 70-107. Uniform and consistent funding.

This part is designed to maintain a high level of fiscal accountability in election administration by:

(1) Providing the uniform and consistent distribution of funds for the reimbursement of eligible expenses from the State Board of Election Commissioners to the counties;

(2) Requiring compliance with election laws and procedures to be eligible for reimbursement; and

(3) Providing information needed for the development of databases of comparative election costs.

Subpart 2

7 CAR § 70-201 Poll workers’ pay {#sec-7-car-70-201 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-201}

7 CAR § 70-201. Poll workers’ pay.

Poll workers’ pay is reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions:

(1) Eligible poll worker pay includes funding for poll workers:

(A) Working polling sites on election day;

(B) Working offsite early voting polling sites; and

(2) A county is eligible to receive funding at the current federal or state minimum wage, whichever is greater at the time of the state-funded election, for the actual number of hours worked up to a maximum of fourteen (14) hours by a poll worker at an election day polling location;

(3) In addition to the poll worker pay, a county is eligible to receive a maximum twenty-five-dollar payment for one (1) election judge per poll on election day;

(4) A county is eligible to receive the current federal or state minimum wage, whichever is greater at the time of the state-funded election, and applicable overtime wages if required by law for the actual number of hours worked by a poll worker:

(A) At an offsite early voting polling site outside of the county clerk’s office; and

(B) Under the direction and supervision of the county board of election commissioners;

(5)(A) A county is eligible to receive an additional one-time payment per poll worker who:

(i) Attends training conducted by a State Board of Election Commissioners-certified trainer; and

(ii) Who works the preferential primary election immediately following the training.

(B) This payment shall be governed by the Rules for Poll Worker and County Clerk Training, 7 CAR pt. 81.

(6) A county is eligible to receive funding for an average of six (6) eligible poll workers per precinct per state-funded election.

7 CAR § 70-202 Extra help pay {#sec-7-car-70-202 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-202}

7 CAR § 70-202. Extra help pay.

Extra help pay is reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions.

(1) Eligible extra help pay includes funding for:

(A) Workers designated by the county board of election commissioners to prepare, package, and deliver election materials to poll workers for each polling site;

(B) Poll workers designated to return election materials to the county board of election commissioners after the closing of the poll;

(D) Election clerks processing absentee ballots; and

(E) Election officials designated to tabulate the vote; and

(2) A county is eligible to receive funding for eligible extra help at the current federal or state minimum wage, whichever is greater at the time of the state-funded election, for the actual number of hours worked.

7 CAR § 70-203 Extra deputy pay {#sec-7-car-70-203 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-203}

7 CAR § 70-203. Extra deputy pay.

Extra deputy pay is reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions:

(1) A county is eligible to receive funding for one (1) extra deputy to the county clerk for the purpose of carrying out the requirements of absentee and early voting at the current federal or state minimum wage, whichever is greater at the time of the state-funded election, and applicable overtime wages if required by law, for the actual number of hours worked per day up to the maximum number of hours per day allowable by law, for a period not to exceed thirty-five (35) days per state-funded election; and

(2) A county with two (2) county seats may receive funding for one (1) additional deputy county clerk subject to the same limitations in the maximum number of hours.

7 CAR § 70-204 Mileage expenses {#sec-7-car-70-204 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-204}

7 CAR § 70-204. Mileage expenses.

Mileage expenses are reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions:

(1) Eligible mileage expenses include funding for the mileage of personnel designated by the county board of election commissioners to deliver election materials to poll workers for each polling site and funding for poll workers designated by the county board of election commissioners to return election materials to the county board of election commissioners after the closing of the poll at the same mileage rate prescribed for state employees in state travel rules, Arkansas Code § 7-4-112(b); and

(2) A county may pay up to two (2) poll workers per poll to return ballots to the central count location when a poll is closed.

7 CAR § 70-205 Election commissioners’ pay {#sec-7-car-70-205 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-205}

7 CAR § 70-205. Election commissioners’ pay.

Election commissioners’ pay is reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions:

(1) A county is eligible to receive funding for election commissioners’ pay of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) per public meeting attended when official business is conducted, up to a maximum of ten (10) public meetings per commissioner per state-funded election;

(2) Public meetings as defined under the Freedom of Information Act of 1967, Arkansas Code § 25-19-101 et seq., include but are not limited to:

(A) Drawing of ballot position;

(B) Certification of ballots;

(D) Designation of election officials;

(E) Correction of errors or omissions of ballots;

(F) Canvassing and certification of election results;

(G) Canvassing and certification of a recount; and

(H) Election day; and

(3)(A) A county is eligible to receive funding for the hourly wages of a county election commissioner if:

(i) The county board has not voted to appoint a county employee as an election coordinator;

(ii) The wages of an individual election commission do not exceed forty (40) hours in the state-funded election being reimbursed;

(iii) The rate of compensation does not exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) per hour; and

(iv) The hours would otherwise be reimbursable as extra help or contract labor under this part.

(B) A county may pay a county board member hourly wages in excess of those eligible for reimbursement under this part.

7 CAR § 70-206 Supply costs {#sec-7-car-70-206 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-206}

7 CAR § 70-206. Supply costs.

Supply costs are reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions:

(1) Eligible supply costs include funding for disposable supplies such as:

(A) Pens;

(B) Pencils;

(D) Tape;

(E) Magnifying sheets/glasses;

(F) Spools of string for marking electioneering areas;

(G) Ballot marking instruments/devices;

(H) Envelopes;

(I) Ballot boxes;

(J) Seals;

(K) Stub boxes;

(L) Election kits;

(M) Paper;

(N) Postage for:

(i) Mailing absentee application requests and ballots; and

(ii) Official notice to poll workers and polling sites; and

(O) Paper products necessary for the operation of the voting equipment;

(2) A county may only receive funding for quantities applicable to the specific state-funded election for which it seeks funding; and

(3) In a county in which the county board conducts early voting or maintains vote centers, the county is eligible to receive reimbursement for the cost of internet service necessary to support the poll tablet system subject to the following limitations:

(A) In the event that the county maintains year-round internet service for its elections, the reimbursable cost is limited to the payment for the time period in which the state-funded election occurred; and

(B) The cost of internet services in a single election shall not exceed forty dollars ($40.00) per the combined number of:

(i) Polling sites;

(ii) Vote centers; and

(iii) Offsite early voting locations.

7 CAR § 70-207 Programming costs {#sec-7-car-70-207 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-207}

7 CAR § 70-207. Programming costs.

Programming costs are reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions:

(1)(A) Eligible programming costs include funding for:

(i) Programming and testing of voting machines and electronic vote tabulating devices for state-funded elections;

(ii) Technical support; and

(iii) Labor, mileage, and truck rental, if necessary, for transportation of voting machines and precinct tabulating devices to and from polling sites.

(B) See Arkansas Code §§ 7-5-301(m)(2), 7-5-515(a) and (b), and 7-5-611(a)(1);

(2) A county is eligible to receive a maximum twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per hour for testing:

(A) Voting machines; and

(B) Electronic vote tabulating devices;

(3) A county is eligible to receive a maximum one thousand eighty dollars ($1,080) per state-funded election for contracted technical support authorized under Arkansas Code § 7-5-301(g); and

(4) A county is eligible to receive the current federal or state minimum wage, whichever is greater at the time of the state-funded election, for:

(A) The actual number of hours worked by extra help designated by the county board of election commissioners to transport voting machines and electronic vote tabulating devices to and from the polling sites; plus

(B) Truck rental fees or mileage expenses at the same mileage rate prescribed for state employees in state travel rules.

7 CAR § 70-208 Ballot printing costs {#sec-7-car-70-208 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-208}

7 CAR § 70-208. Ballot printing costs.

Ballot printing costs are reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions:

(1) Counties are eligible to receive funding for printing a number of absentee ballots, provisional ballots, and emergency ballots not to exceed the greater of:

(A) The thirty-five (35) ballots per ballot style; or

(B) One and one-half (1.5) times the number of absentee voters and provisional voters at the last preceding comparable election;

(2) A county using ballot marking devices is eligible to receive funding for the purchase of ballot stock equivalent to one and one-half (1.5) times the number of electors voting on paper ballots at the last preceding comparable election, up to a maximum of one hundred five percent (105%) of the total number of registered voters;

(3) A county using preprinted paper ballots counted by electronic vote tabulating devices is eligible to receive funding for printing a number of ballots equivalent to one and one-half (1.5) times the number of electors voting on paper ballots at the last preceding comparable election, up to a maximum of one hundred five percent (105%) of the total number of registered voters;

(4) In a state-funded primary election in which a county is using preprinted ballots counted by electronic vote tabulating devices, a county is eligible to receive additional funding for printing a number of separate nonpartisan/special election ballots for the nonpartisan general election and any special election that is held on the same dates, times, and places as the preferential primary election equivalent to one and one-half (1.5) times the number of electors voting a separate nonpartisan/special election paper ballot at the last preceding comparable election;

(5) A county is eligible to receive funding for printing a number of special runoff ballots equivalent to a maximum of one and one-half (1.5) times the total number of overseas absentee ballot requests received at the last preceding comparable election or one and one-half (1.5) times the total number of overseas absentee voters voting on paper ballots at the last preceding comparable election, whichever is greater;

(6) A county is eligible to receive funding for printing sample ballots required by law; and

(7)(A) Beginning with the 2026 election cycle, these calculations shall be based on the vote totals reported in the ballot disposition report for the election in question.

(B) Reimbursement shall not be made for expenses governed by this subsection unless a ballot disposition report is on file with the State Board of Election Commissioners.

7 CAR § 70-209 Legal advertising costs {#sec-7-car-70-209 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-209}

7 CAR § 70-209. Legal advertising costs.

Legal advertising costs are reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions:

(1) Eligible legal advertising costs include:

(A) One (1) publication of the notice of the meeting in which the order of the candidates on the ballot is determined as required under Arkansas Code §§ 7-5-207 and 7-7-305;

(B) Two (2) publications of the notice of election required under Arkansas Code § 7-5-202;

(D) One (1) publication of the notice of the public test of the voting equipment as required under Arkansas Code § 7-5-515;

(E) One (1) publication of the notice of the tabulation device testing as required under Arkansas Code § 7-5-611; and

(F) One (1) publication of the calling document for statewide special elections and special primary elections; and

(2) A county must provide a copy of the publication proof provided by the publisher to be eligible to receive reimbursement for eligible advertising costs.

7 CAR § 70-210 Facility fees {#sec-7-car-70-210 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-210}

7 CAR § 70-210. Facility fees.

Facility fees are reimbursed pursuant to the following provisions:

(1)(A) Eligible facility fees include fees charged to a county by a facility to offset the cost of using the facility as an election day or offsite early voting polling site for a state-funded election.

(B) A county is eligible to receive a maximum of forty dollars ($40.00) per each facility that requests payment from the county for its use as an election day polling site;

(2) A county is eligible to receive forty dollars ($40.00) per day per each facility that requests payment from the county for its use as an offsite early voting polling site, up to a maximum of four thousand dollars ($4,000) per county per state-funded election; and

(3) A county must provide the State Board of Election Commissioners with a copy of an invoice from each facility to be eligible to receive funding from the board.

7 CAR § 70-211 Ineligible state-funded election expenses {#sec-7-car-70-211 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-7-part-70--7 CAR § 70-211}

7 CAR § 70-211. Ineligible state-funded election expenses.

(a) Poll workers’ pay reimbursements are limited by the following provisions:

(1) The State Board of Election Commissioners will not provide funding for a volunteer election page serving as a poll worker on election day; and

(2) The board will not provide funding for poll workers who have not received the required training coordinated by the board within twelve (12) months of the date of the state-funded election.

(b) County employee pay reimbursements are limited by the following provisions:

(1) The board will not provide funding to reimburse wages or salary of a permanent full-time or permanent part-time county employee; and

(2) An individual is considered a permanent part-time county employee under this section if the individual:

(A) Works more than five hundred (500) hours in a single election; or

(B) Is considered a permanent part-time employee by the county.

(1) The total hours reimbursed for the preparation of election materials shall not exceed:

(A) Nine hundred (900) hours in a county with over one hundred thousand (100,000) registered voters;

(B) Six hundred (600) hours in a county with between one hundred thousand (100,000) and fifty thousand (50,000) registered voters; and

(2) The total hours reimbursed for the unpacking and storage of election materials shall not exceed:

(A) Four hundred (400) hours in a county with over one hundred thousand (100,000) registered voters;

(B) Two hundred (200) hours in a county with between one hundred thousand (100,000) and fifty thousand (50,000) registered voters; and

(3) The total hours reimbursed for contract labor related to the testing of voting equipment shall not exceed:

(A) Three hundred (300) hours in a county with over one hundred thousand (100,000) registered voters;

(B) One hundred fifty (150) hours in a county with between one hundred thousand (100,000) and fifty thousand (50,000) registered voters; and

(4) The total hours reimbursed for contract labor to transport voting equipment shall not exceed:

(A) Five hundred (500) hours in a county with over one hundred thousand (100,000) registered voters;

(B) Two hundred (200) hours in a county with between one hundred thousand (100,000) and fifty thousand (50,000) registered voters; and

(5) The hourly wage costs associated with counting ballots shall not be reimbursed by the board if the quorum court of the county in question has voted to hand-count ballots pursuant to Arkansas Code § 7-5-301(c)(1).

(d) Mileage expenses will not be reimbursed by the board if the expenditure is incurred by:

(1) A county election commissioner for travel to and from public meetings; or

(2) A poll worker’s travel to and from the polling site, except as provided by law for delivery of election materials and voting equipment.

(e) Election commissioners’ pay expenses will not be reimbursed except as provided for in 7 CAR § 70-107 of this part.

(f) Supply cost reimbursements are limited by the following provisions:

(1) The board will not provide funding for capital or leasehold improvements to polling sites.

(2) The board will not provide funding for nonexpendable equipment and supplies such as:

(A) Voting booths;

(B) Electric pencil sharpeners;

(D) Pagers;

(E) Outlet strips;

(F) Extension cords;

(G) Adapters;

(H) Phone cords; and

(I) Expensive metal signage.

(3) The board will not provide funding for expendable supplies such as:

(A) Batteries;

(B) Copier toner;

(D) Printer ribbons;

(E) Hanging file folders;

(F) Manila file folders;

(G) Binders;

(H) “I Voted” stickers; and

(I) Flags.

(4) The board will not provide funding for the cost:

(A) Of binding voter books;

(B) For reproduction of poll worker training material;

(D) For portable toilet rental;

(E) For furniture rentals;

(F) For return postage; or

(G) For food.

(g) Voting system costs will not be reimbursed by the board if the expenditure is described below:

(1) The purchase of new or used voting systems; or

(2) The leasing, rental, maintenance, or depreciation of voting systems.

(h) Programming costs reimbursements are limited by the following provisions:

(1) The board will not provide funding for:

(A) Reprogramming due to county error;

(B) Reprogramming due to vendor error; or

(C) Programming of duplicative ballot styles which cause the county to pay for more than fifty percent (50%) more ballot styles than the election requires; and

(2) The board will not reimburse the additional costs of nonpartisan ballots under 7 CAR § 70-208(4) unless the number of nonpartisan ballots cast in the prior preferential primary is documented on the reimbursement request.

(i) Ballot printing costs reimbursements are limited by the following provisions:

(1) The board will not provide funding for ballot printing reruns due to county or vendor error;

(2) The board will not provide funding for overages in ordering and printing ballots, except by prior written request to the board with prior written approval by the board;

(3) The county or the vendor will be financially responsible for excessive printing of paper ballots; and

(4) The cost associated with producing preprinted ballots shall not be reimbursed by the board if the quorum court of the county in question has voted to hand-count ballots pursuant to Arkansas Code § 7-5-301(c)(1).

(j) Legal advertising costs will not be reimbursed by the board if the expenditure is described below:

(1) Advertising the list of appointed election officials;

(2) Advertising for poll worker training;

(3) Advertising in excess of that required by law as defined previously;

(4) Readvertising due to county error;

(5) Colored advertising; or

(6) Costs related to advertising on:

(A) Radio;

(B) Television broadcasting; or

(k) Facility fees reimbursements are limited in that the board will not provide funding for reimbursing individuals hired to clean facilities used as polling sites.

(l) Other reimbursements are limited by the following provisions:

(1) The board will not provide funding for any penalties assessed to a county by any vendor, such as a surcharge assessed to a county by a vendor for missing deadlines established by the vendor.

(2) The board will not consider requests for advance funding for state-funded:

(A) General primary (runoff) elections; or

(B) Special primary elections.

(3) The board will review all shipping and handling fees in excess of five hundred dollars ($500) for consideration of payment on a case-by-case basis.

(4) County funds must be used for funding any election-related expenses incurred by the county in conducting a state-funded election that fall outside the scope of funding by the board as defined by this part.

(5) A county may appeal to the board for reconsideration of any otherwise eligible expense that is disqualified by the board for exceeding maximums established by this part.

(6) If a court orders a new election as a result of a contested election, the board will consider the criteria for funding the expenses of the new court-ordered election on a case-by-case basis.

7 CAR Part 70 — Rules for Reimbursement of Expenses for State-Funded Elections