LITTLE ROCK — Hassan Aghmari’s first trip to the U.S. took him to Pine Bluff.
Aghmari, director of elections at the Ministry of Interior in Morocco, said his visit to the U.S. has been a great learning experience.
Through his interpreter, Robert M. Glick, he said he has learned how much technology can aid in elections in Morocco and around the world.
He is visiting several U.S. cities on his one-month tour to learn about the American election process. His first stop was in Washington, D.C., and his trip will end in July in Los Angeles.
On Tuesday, he met with Susan Inman, executive director of the Arkansas County Election Commissioners Association and a former state election director.
She explained local-level and statewide election logisitics.
Later, in Pine Bluff, Aghmari met with the Jefferson County clerk and other election commission officials. They showed him how votes are recorded, how Americans register to vote and how to use an electronic voting machine.
After Aghmari “voted,” Stuart Soffer, a Jefferson County election commissioner, stuck an “I voted” sticker on Aghmari’s coat.
Aghmari’s visit is sponsored through the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program. The program works with smaller agencies, that then work with councils for International Visitors to plan trips for foreign guests.
Walter Nunn, executive director of Arkansas Council for International Visitors, said Arkansas hosted 40 groups last year. The groups ranged in size from one person to nine people each.
Thirteen Afghans - about half of them teachers and principals - are to be in the state July 22-27 to learn about local government and regional development.
Patricia Royal Johnson, Jefferson County clerk, said Aghmari is the only non-Arkansan to observe that office.
“It’s exciting to have someone from a whole different country,” Johnson said. “Hopefully we gave him something to take back.”
Arkansas, Pages 8 on 06/30/2010