Wednesday report from the Arkansas Senate hearings

Testimony continued this morning in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the Arkansas Capitol where a Senate committee is being asked to recommend a resolution to a disputed election. A trial court recently ruled that the Senate, not the court system, is responsible for determining the seat's proper occupant. Testimony today centered around missing unused ballots, a box of ballot stubs that were found in a janitor's closet of a voting precinct, and allegations of absentee ballots being carried off on election night while poll workers were still counting them. Here's more from the Associated Press.

Former Rep. Arnell Willis is challenging the results of the SD16 2006 Democratic primary, in which he appeared to have won the runoff when the initial vote count showed him ahead by 28 votes. A recount put Jack Crumbly ahead by 74 votes after an error was discovered by the county election commission surrounding the Forrest City Ward 1 box. A second recount confirmed Crumbly as the winner, and Crumbly served in the Senate for the 2007 legislative session.