LITTLE ROCK — More than 330,000 voters have cast early ballots around Arkansas so far this election season, outpacing elections in 2010 and 2008, the Secretary of State Mark Martin's office said Friday.
Alex Reed, a spokesman for the office, said unofficial totals show 333,327 early votes had been cast through the end of Thursday. The number is likely higher than that, however, because it comprises results from only 70 of the state's 75 counties.
By comparison, 233,357 had cast early ballots through the Thursday before the previous presidential election in 2008, according to figures provided by the secretary of state. This year's figure represents a 43 percent increase over the same time in 2008.
In 2010, 207,243 votes had been cast through the same period, 60 percent fewer than this year.
Reed said a number of races are drawing a lot of attention, perhaps explaining the increase.
"There's a lot of heated state legislative races going on out there and people seem to be in tune with what's going on," he said. "They're getting out and voting."
Early voting continues Saturday and Monday before Election Day on Tuesday.
