Poll worker files complaint over Hutchinson visit on election day

BENTONVILLE, (AP) -- Sen. Tim Hutchinson says he was merely thanking poll workers on primary day, not making a visit to a polling place that was against election rules.

A poll worker in Rogers filed a complaint with the Benton County Election Commission, that alleges Hutchinson, R-Ark., visited a polling place during the May 21 primary.

The complaint was filed by Mary DeMars, a Democrat.

Hutchinson, as expected, notched a landslide victory against Republican state Rep. Jim Bob Duggar of Springdale. He faces Democratic state Attorney General Mark Pryor in the Nov. 5 general election.

A Hutchinson campaign spokesman says the senator did nothing wrong.

"Sen. Hutchinson was simply stopping in to thank poll workers for what is too often a thankless task, period," spokesman Anthony Hulen said.

DeMars said Hutchinson spoke with several poll workers at the Charity Southern Baptist Church polling site the morning of the primary. When the senator tried to address her, DeMars said she told him: "What are you doing here? You know you should not be here. Shame on you."

DeMars says Hutchinson began to explain the election law, until a Rogers police officer who had finished voting came and stood beside her. Hutchinson left then, she said.

Hulen said Hutchinson did no campaigning at the polling place. Poll worker Rose Pethoud said Hutchinson only thanked her for working. She said the senator did the same with other poll workers.

Hulen said Hutchinson did not wear a campaign button or sticker inside the polling place. Any campaigning was on "street corners and sidewalks" well outside the 100-foot area around polling sites in which it is illegal to campaign, he said.

"This practice is no different from what many other candidates do," Hulen said. "It is unfortunate that this poll worker chose to make a political issue out of a very non-political situation."

Election commissioners took no action on the complaint when they met Friday.

Commission chairman Tamara Cochran said the alleged offense could be considered a misdemeanor but said the law is vague in defining the term "campaign."

"I've got to figure out what to do about it," Cochran said at the meeting. She said she would consult with the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners.