Arkansas

Arkansas election officials consider AI threats as they coordinate security plans • Arkansas Advocate

Published

2 months ago

October 8, 2024

Arkansas election officials consider AI threats as they coordinate security plans • Arkansas Advocate

For the first time, Arkansas election officials have added artificial intelligence to their list of concerns while preparing for a general election.

The State Board of Election Commissioners oversees all elections in Arkansas, and officials have been gearing up for November’s general election since last fall. Ongoing preparations include coordinating with key players during what SBEC Director Chris Madison calls “election month,” which covers early voting, Election Day and the certification process that follows.

“What we want is a no-drama election [where] voters show up, cast their ballot and then we get good results, timely counted and certified, and there’s like no news stories,” Madison said.

Chris Madison, director of the State Board of Election Commissioners, leads a meeting in Little Rock on July 15, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)

Madison said his primary concern with artificial intelligence is that quick-spreading false information could overwhelm online channels on Election Day and discourage the public from voting.

“If you hear something that comports with your worldview, then you’re more likely to believe it than disbelieve it,” Madison said. “There’s a lot of people that are suspicious of elections and the processes, and it’s because they don’t necessarily understand all the processes that go into play.”

For example, a photo of officials conducting maintenance on election equipment could spread false messaging that the well-secured machines have been hacked, Madison said. To combat this, Madison said he’s establishing relationships with members of the press.

“A kernel of a little bit of truth could turn into a big popcorn of falseness,” he said. “How do we get ahead of those stories, address those stories or get good information out? That’s the type of stuff we’re talking about.”

At the secretary of state’s office, a team works to ensure candidates, ballot measures and absentee ballots are properly prepared, certified and distributed.

Spokesperson Chris Powell said he recognizes AI technology is “expanding and the potential for that technology is, as yet, unknown.”

The office isn’t moderating the technology, and Powell urged voters to consult with official sources for election-related information, as “inaccurate or deceptive information” can spread quickly.

Safety concerns

Beyond potential AI-related threats, the State Board of Election Commissioners is working closely with the secretary of state’s office, law enforcement agencies and county officials to secure the physical safety of the people at polling sites and deal with threats to election integrity.

Both Madison and Powell said they have had no indication that there will be any election-related violent threats in Arkansas, but the two agencies working with county officials will be the key to a problem-free election.

“One of the big things that we’re doing is making sure that information is flowing from the top down and the bottom up,” Madison said. “If we’re having an incident occurring in a county — we’re working real hard with our county people to know to contact us with the secretary of state’s office so that we can make sure that that’s not occurring elsewhere.”

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Each Arkansas county has a three-person election commission that prepares polling sites and conducts voting on Election Day. The county election commissioners are also responsible for recruiting and training poll workers.

Angela Jean Scott, Republican chair of the Johnson County Board of Election Commissioners, said local poll workers have expressed concerns about Election Day violence based on stories they see in the news.

To protect everyone involved on Election Day, Scott said the commission has been coordinating with local law enforcement and emergency management personnel about potential violent altercations and natural disasters.

From gas leaks to fires, tornadoes and physical altercations, Scott said the commission is prepared for a number of emergencies.

“We want our poll workers to feel secure, and that’s why we’re going through these extra measures to make them feel that we’re looking out for them, because we want them back in two years,” Scott said. “We need them.”

With ‘heated’ Election Day ahead, Arkansas officials rally poll workers

Though Scott said she doesn’t foresee any violence occurring in Johnson County on Election Day, plainclothes officers will be visiting the 12 voting centers throughout the day. If violence does occur, Scott said the best approach is to call 911.

“Because we are a county that doesn’t have a huge expansion of law enforcement, you can’t just have people on standby in areas,” Scott said. “They actually are out working, and so they will be in that area just as soon as they’re called in case of an emergency.”

Johnson County has a population of about 26,000 residents. Clarksville is the county seat, and rural mountain towns dot the northern part of the county.

Election integrity

Election officials’ safety plans don’t stop at keeping people safe, but also extend to the security of ballots.

When the Advocate interviewed Scott, who also serves as Johnson County’s election coordinator, she was ensuring the software within voting machines was accounted for and working, which is a process she referred to as “logistics and accuracy.”

Next week, a small team will send sample ballots through the county’s 55 machines to confirm the selection of all candidates and measures on 76 different ballot types works correctly.

This test process is open to the public for observation and ends on Oct. 11, Scott said. Afterward, the machines are zeroed out and secured until Election Day when a tape showing each machine’s zeroed status will be posted at polling locations.

“As a commission, we have really tried to push education of how the equipment works so people have more faith in it,” said Scott, who also recently spoke to the local Rotary Club about the voting equipment.

During a recent experimental hand-count of sample ballots to verify the machines were tabulating correctly, Scott found human error and machine accuracy.

“These machines are 100% accurate, so I have a lot of faith in them,” she said. “I do not want to hand count ballots.”

The ballots are also considered during each emergency plan, Scott said. Two people are always required to be with the ballots, and after Election Day they are sealed and stored until the certification process begins.

November’s general election will be the first since the Arkansas attorney general’s office launched its Election Integrity Unit. Through the leadership of Wayne Bewley, a former Little Rock assistant police chief, the office will investigate any reports related to the election.

Reports could include residents’ problems with ballot presentation, how a count is being conducted at a polling place or any feature of Election Day that seems amiss, said Jeff LeMaster, spokesperson for the attorney general’s office.

The investigations are a reactive measure to issues that could arise on Election Day, LeMaster said.

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Arkansas

Steals, slams winning combo for Hoop Hogs against Little Rock

Published

59 mins ago

November 23, 2024

Press Room

Steals, slams winning combo for Hoop Hogs against Little Rock

Behind a fully-torqued defensive effort, the No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) claimed victory 79-67 over the Little Rock Trojans inside Bud Walton Arena on Friday night in Fayetteville.

Arkansas’ intensity was evident at the get-go, as head coach John Calipari’s club ripped off five steals on Little Rock’s first five possessions, good enough to hand the Hoop Hogs a quick 11-0 advantage.

That pressure never relented in the first half, as the Razorbacks had eight steals and nine forced turnovers at the under-8 mark, and 10 steals and 11 forced turnovers by halftime.

“That first five or six minutes of the game we were a deer in headlights,” Little Rock head coach Darrell Walker, a former Razorback, said postgame. “We were terrified for no reason. We turned the ball over. Now, they got 19 turnovers. We turned the ball over 19 times and they got 28 points off of that. I told my team before the game, ‘We cannot have a lot of turnovers. If you do, this team is really good in the open court. You put them in half court you’re going to have a chance to get in the game.’”

Leading the way for most hands in the cookie jar was forward Adou Thiero (six steals), though five Razorbacks recorded at least one steal and four Hogs totaled 2+ steals.

“The biggest plays were effort plays,” Calipari said of Thiero. “Those were the biggest plays he made. He had six steals — all effort steals. Just he out-worked the other guy to get the ball.”

As a result of the defensive ferocity, Arkansas pushed the pace in transition to the tune of 22 fastbreak points, 28 points off turnovers and five slams through both halves.

“From watching all the film of all the games they’ve played, I knew this was going to be an off-the-dribble game,” Walker said. “And when they shoot the ball well they can become dangerous. But they really an off-the-dribble team and a transition team right now. I’m sure Cal is still trying to figure things out. This is early in the season, just like I’m trying to figure things out with my basketball team. He’s got some key guys hurt.”

One can’t mention Arkansas’ up-and-down court explosion without further crediting Thiero, who racked up a team-high 23 points, a team-high eight rebounds, two blocks and pulled off an immaculate left-handed windmill transition dunk.

“There was a will to win,” Calipari said. “I don’t care who it’s against. When a game gets like that, that stuff was on us, and Adou making that play on the offensive rebound, again, he’s standing out how he’s playing. He’s getting it done.”

Up next, Arkansas will close its home-stand with a matchup against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Monday. That game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. CT and will stream on SEC Network+.

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Arkansas basketball vs Little Rock score today: Live updates, game highlights, how to watch

Published

9 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Arkansas basketball vs Little Rock score today: Live updates, game highlights, how to watch

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas basketball will welcome one of the best players in program history back to Bud Walton Arena tonight.

The No. 24 Razorbacks (3-1) will host Little Rock (3-2) Friday. The Trojans are coached by Darrell Walker, who was a consensus All-American for the Razorbacks in 1983 and is a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame and the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor.

The Hogs are in the midst of a four-game homestand and are coming off a 91-72 victory over Pacific Monday. They’ve been stingy through the early portion of the season and rank 10th in the nation in KenPom’s defensive efficiency metric.

This will be just the second meeting between the two Natural State programs. Arkansas won 93-78 in 2021, and the Trojans are coming off a road victory over Tulsa in their most recent contest.

Below are live score updates, highlights and other notes from Arkansas basketball’s fifth game of the season.

Arkansas basketball vs. Little Rock score updates

This section will be updated when the game begins.

What time does Arkansas vs. Little Rock play today?

Date: Friday, Nov. 22
Time: 8 p.m. CT
Location: Fayetteville

What channel is Arkansas vs. Little Rock game on today?

TV channel: SEC Network
Streaming: FUBO (Free Trial), ESPN+

Arkansas vs. Little Rock live stream options

Arkansas vs. Little Rock will be broadcast on SEC Network. The matchup can also be streamed with a subscription to FUBO, which has the option for a free trial, and ESPN+, which includes ESPNU and all other ESPN channels.

Arkansas vs. Little Rock prediction

Arkansas 79, Little Rock 63: This game could follow a familiar theme to earlier home games, with a mid-major squad staying close thanks to 3-pointers, but Arkansas’ talent eventually wearing out the opposition. A blowout is more likely if one of Trevon Brazile or Jonas Aidoo returns to the floor for the Hogs.

Arkansas vs. Little Rock betting odds

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday morning:

Spread: Arkansas -20.5
Over/under: 143.5
Moneyline: Little Rock +1250

Arkansas basketball schedule

Record: 3-1

(Next five games)

Little Rock, Nov. 22
Maryland Eastern Shore, Nov. 25
Illinois (Kansas City), Nov. 28
at Miami, Dec. 3
UTSA, Dec. 7

Little Rock schedule

Record: 3-2

(Next five games)

at Arkansas, Nov. 22
at Illinois, Nov. 25
Maryland Eastern Shore, Nov. 27
Central Arkansas, Dec. 4
Ouachita Baptist University, Dec. 10

Arkansas basketball news

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Arkansas

Arkansas high school football second-round playoff scores, live updates (11/22/2024)

Published

17 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Arkansas high school football second-round playoff scores, live updates (11/22/2024)

Second-round playoff games take place across the state Friday, November 22, in the Arkansas high school football postseason.

You can follow all of the AAA playoff football games and get updated scores by tracking the SBLive/SI Arkansas High School Football Scoreboard.

Arkansas (AAA) high school football playoffs: 2024 brackets, Round 2 matchups, game times

High School on SI will have in-game score updates and all of the final scores from every corner of the state. You can also search for full schedules and complete scores from all of your favorite teams.

Here’s your guide to catching all of the Round 2 Arkansas high school football playoff action on Friday night (November 22, 2024).

STATEWIDE ARKANSAS FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

CLASS 7A SCORES

CLASS 6A SCORES

CLASS 5A SCORES

CLASS 4A SCORES

CLASS 3A SCORES

CLASS 2A SCORES

CLASS 8 MAN SCORES

2024 ARKANSAS FOOTBALL SCHEDULES: FIND YOUR TEAM

Can’t make it to your favorite team’s game but still want to watch them live? You can watch dozens of Arkansas high school football games live on the NFHS Network:

WATCH AAA GAMES LIVE ON NFHS NETWORK

Want to know how your team finished the regular season? Find out where they landed in our final computer rankings:

And don’t forget to visit the brand new Arkansas homepage on High School on SI, powered by SBLive Sports, for all the latest news, highlights, analysis, scores, photos and information on Arkansas high school sports. Follow our live game coverage and read our feature stories, breaking news, the latest recruiting news, rankings and much more.