MADISON COUNTY CLERK & COMPTROLLER - AUSTIN BOATRIGHT
Thank you for visiting the Madison County Clerk's website. The County Clerk is the official bookkeeper of county government and serves as the clerk of the county court, secretariat to the quorum court, county comptroller, and ex officio clerk for the probate division of the circuit court. The clerk also serves as secretary of the board of equalization and the county election commission.
Elections & Voter Registration - The County Clerk maintains voter registration records and is responsible for conducting absentee and early voting for all elections. The County Clerk's office handles all local filings for elective office, including county elected positions, quorum court positions, constables, city positions, and school board positions. The County Clerk's office also files for public record all financial statements and campaign contribution reports for all public officeholders and candidates.
Quorum Court - The County Clerk serves as secretary to the Quorum Court. These duties involve keeping a complete permanent record of the proceedings of the Quorum Court including:
- Minutes
- Ordinances
- Resolutions
Probate Court - As Clerk of the Probate Court, the County Clerk files and maintains the following records
- Decedent Estates
- Small Estates
- Adoptions
- Guardianships
- Civil Commitments
County Court - As Clerk of the County Court, the County Clerk files and maintains the following records
- County Court Orders
- Annexations and Detachments
- Incorporations
- Right of Way Acquisitions
- County Purchases
- Board Appointments
- Levy of Taxes
- Contracts, Agreements, and Leases signed by the Madison County Judge
- Election Results
Licenses and Certificates: The County Clerk's Office issues Marriage Licenses, DBA Certificates, and Minister Credentials.
Comptroller: The Madison County Quorum Court has additionally assigned the role of Comptroller to the County Clerk and as such, the County Clerk acts as the Chief Accounting and Budgetary Officer for the County. In this capacity, the County Clerk is responsible for the following
- Accounts Payable
- Payroll
- Revenue Forecasting and Budget Creation/Management
- County Purchasing and Contract Oversite
- Bid Compliance
- County Inventory
Tax Settlements: The County Clerk prepares the monthly settlement of all taxes collected in the county. A copy of the settlement is given to the County Treasurer for distribution. The County Clerk is also responsible for preparing the Final Tax Settlement each year following the close of the Tax Books.
DOING BUSINESS AS CERTIFICATES (DBA)
A sole proprietorship or general partnership that intends to use a name other than the owner's (or owners') personal name must file a DBA Certificate to conduct business in the State of Arkansas. The DBA Certificate must be filed in the county or counties in which you conduct or intend to conduct business.
DBA Certificates are filed and recorded in the office of the County Clerk. Persons desiring to file a DBA Certificate must complete the certificate form and sign it before a Notary Public.
The filing fee for an Assumed Name (DBA) Certificate is $25.00; cash or money orders only. Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted.
You may file for a DBA in Madison County by submitting a completed DBA Certificate and the $25.00 filing fee. Download DBA Certificate Here
- In-Person: County Clerk's Office
- Dropbox: You may submit your DBA certificate for filing by utilizing the dropbox located near the front steps (north side) of the Courthouse. Please place your completed certificate and filing fee in a sealed envelope addressed to the Madison County Clerk. The original certificate will be returned to you the same day by mail. Be sure to indicate the mailing address you would like the form to be returned to after filing.
- Mail: Madison County Clerk, PO Box 37, Huntsville, AR 72740.
The DBA Certificate MUST be notarized, and the filing fee MUST be included with the form. If either is not done, the document cannot be filed and will be returned to you.
Download a "Doing Business in Arkansas" brochure by clicking on the link below:
If you should have any questions, please contact the County Clerk's office at (479) 738-2747.
MARRIAGE LICENSE INFORMATION
- Both parties MUST be present to apply for a marriage license.
- Both parties MUST present a valid photo ID in the form of a driver's license, state-issued identification card, passport, or military identification card.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old to obtain a marriage license without parental consent or court order.
- Please contact the County Clerk's office for underage marriage requirements.
- Blood tests are not required.
- There are no waiting periods. You will receive your marriage license on the day you apply, and you may use it immediately.
- The fee for a marriage license is $60.00. Payment must be made in cash (exact amount only). Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted.
- You may obtain a marriage license in any county in Arkansas and use it to get married anywhere in the state. It is not necessary to get a marriage license from the county where you reside or from the county in which you plan to get married.
- Marriage licenses are valid for sixty (60) days from the date of issuance. The marriage license must be returned to be recorded, whether used or unused, within 60 days of issuance.
If requested, the County Clerk can solemnize marriages in office at the Madison County Courthouse the same day the license is issued. Under the authority of Madison County Code §210.00, "The County Clerk of Madison County, Arkansas, is hereby appointed as a special official to solemnize marriages within Madison County, Arkansas." We ask that anyone planning to have a marriage solemnized at the County Clerk's Office call ahead to confirm availability.
If you have any further questions, please call the County Clerk's Office at (479) 738-2747.
CERTIFIED COPIES OF MARRIAGE LICENSES & GENEALOGY
- The fee to obtain a certified copy of a marriage license is $5.00 (cash or money order only). Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted.
- Certified copies may be obtained in person or by submitting a written request. The written request should include the names of both parties, the approximate date of the marriage, and the mailing address where you would like the certified copy to be sent. Submit your request by:
- Mail: Madison County Clerk, PO Box 37, Huntsville, AR 72740; or
- Dropbox: The dropbox is located near the front steps (north side) of the Madison County Courthouse. Please place your written request and fee in a sealed envelope addressed to the Madison County Clerk.
- If you are not sure the marriage record you need is on file in our office, please contact us at (479) 738-2747, and we will be happy to help try to locate the record.
- Marriage records date back to 1902, with a few older records available. The Madison County Courthouse has suffered three (3) fires, which unfortunately destroyed most older marriage records. The fires occurred in 1863, 1879, and 1902.
Voter Registration
Click HERE to download an Arkansas Voter Registration Application
Registration requirements
To register to vote, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be an Arkansas resident (residing in Arkansas at least 30 days before the first election in which you wish to vote)
- Be 18 years old or turn 18 on or before the next election
- Not be convicted of a felony without your sentence having been discharged or pardoned
- Not be presently adjudged mentally incompetent as to your ability to vote by a court of competent jurisdiction
- Must not claim the right to vote in another county or state
Where to apply in Madison County
By Mail or DropBox:
- Madison County Clerk, PO Box 37, Huntsville, AR 72740
- DropBox - located near the front steps (north side) of the Madison County Courthouse
In-Person:
- Madison County Clerk's Office
- Arkansas State Revenue Office
- Public Libraries (Huntsville, Kingston, or St. Paul)
- Madison County Health Unit
- Madison County Department of Human Services
Registration deadlines
- If you are not currently registered to vote in Arkansas, you must submit your voter registration application to an official voter registration agency or mail it no later than 30 days prior to an election in which you wish to vote. The postmark on a mailed application will be its submission date.
- If you need to transfer your voter registration to Madison County from another county in Arkansas, your voter registration application must be received in the Madison County Clerks' Office no later than four days before a scheduled election.
How do I know I'm registered?
- Consider yourself registered to vote when - and only when - you receive an acknowledgment from the Madison County Clerk.
- Never assume you are registered to vote until you have received this acknowledgment.
- If you do not receive an acknowledgment within two weeks of submitting your application, please contact our office by phone at (479) 738-2747 or click here to check on the status of your application.
MADISON COUNTY ELECTIONS
Complete Sample Ballots: Link
Voter Registration Application: Link
Notice of Election: Link
Official Election Results November 5, 2024 General Election
NEW PHOTO ID LAW
Act 249 of the Arkansas State Legislature requires all voters (except voters residing in a long-term care or residential facility licensed by the state) to provide a Photo ID when casting a ballot. Absentee voters will be required to provide a copy of their Photo ID when they return their absentee ballot. Any voter not presenting the required Photo ID at the polls or when they return their absentee ballot will have until noon on the Monday following the election to present the required Photo ID to the County Clerk or the County Board of Election Commissioners. If Photo ID is not provided, your ballot will not count. Act 249 removed the "Optional Verification of Identity Affirmation" that was available to voters as an alternative to presenting a Photo ID during the 2020 election cycle. If you do not currently possess a valid Photo ID issued by the United States Government, the State of Arkansas, or a post-secondary educational institution located in the State of Arkansas, you are strongly advised to obtain one as soon as possible so that your vote will count. Please contact the Madison County Clerk's Office at (479) 738-2747 for more information and any questions you may have regarding the new Photo ID requirements.
Check your voter registration status, polling locations, and view sample ballots here
www.voterview.ar-nova.org/voterview
Click Here for Information on Arkansas Ballot Issues & Initiatives
Watch a video demonstration of the new voting equipment
Watch Now
VOTING OPTIONS
VOTE ON ELECTION DAY
Registered voters in Madison County may vote at any Vote Center location listed below from 7:30 am - 7:30 pm on Election Day, regardless of their assigned precinct.
Hindsville First Baptist Church.............................4373 S Main St, Hindsville, AR 72738
Huntsville Missionary Baptist Church...................5602 Business Hwy 412, Huntsville, AR 72740
Kingston Community Building.............................219 Madison 3000, Kingston, AR 72742
St. Paul Community Building..............................371 Madison Ave, St. Paul, AR 72760
Wesley Community Building...............................1648 Hwy 74, Wesley, AR 72773
VOTE EARLY
Early voting is available to any registered voter in Madison County prior to each election at the following location.
Madison County Courthouse..................201 W Main St, Huntsville, AR 72740
- Early voting begins 15 days before any Preferential Primary or General Election
- Hours: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Monday - Friday and 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday
- Early voting ends at 5:00 pm on the Monday before Election Day
- Early voting for Special Elections or School Elections will be 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday
- Early voting is not available on state holidays.
VOTE ABSENTEE
You may vote by absentee ballot if one of the following statements apply to you:
- You will be unavoidably absent from your polling site on Election Day,
- You will be unable to attend your polling site on Election Day because of illness or physical disability,
- You reside in a long-term care or residential facility licensed by the state,
- You are a member of the Uniformed Services, merchant marines, or the spouse or a dependent family member and are away from your polling location due to the member's active duty status, OR
- You are a U.S. citizen whose residence is in Arkansas but you are temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States.
Deadline for Submission of Absentee Ballot Application:
- In Person: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election
- By Designated Bearer or Administrator: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election (A Designated Bearer is anyone you choose to pick up or deliver your application or ballot)
- By Mail or by Electronic Means: by 7 days before the election
- By Authorized Agent: by 1:30 pm ON election day. (The authorized agent must file with the County Clerk an affidavit from the administrative head of a hospital or long term care or residential facility licensed in this state verifying that the applicant is a patient of the hospital or long term care or residential faciity and is thereby unable to vote on election day at their regular polling site)
Deadline for Ballot Pickup:
- By Designated Bearers: no earlier than 15 days before a Preferential Primary Election, General Election, School Election, or Special Election and no earlier than 7 days before a Runoff Election
Deadline for Delivery of Voted Ballot to the County Clerk:
- In Person: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election
- By Designated Bearer: by close of business the Friday BEFORE the election
- By Mail: must be received in the County Clerk's office by 7:30 pm on Election Day (UOCAVA voters must vote their ballot by Election Day, and the County Clerk's office must receive it by 5:00 pm 10 days after the election)
- By Authorized Agent: by 7:30 pm on Election Day
For questions, please contact the County Clerk's office at (479) 738-2747
Minister Credentials
Ministers performing marriages in the State of Arkansas must have their credentials recorded with a County Clerk's Office in the State of Arkansas before performing a wedding ceremony.
You may register your minister credentials in-person or by mail by submitting the following:
- Certificate of Ordination or License. If your church does not ordain or license ministers, we may accept a letter on church letterhead, signed by church elders, deacons, or board members, stating that the minister is authorized by the church to perform marriages.
- A $5.00 filing fee, cash or money order only. Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted.
- In-Person: County Clerk's Office
- DropBox: Please place the items listed above in a sealed envelope addressed to the Madison County Clerk and place the envelope in the courthouse dropbox. The dropbox is located near the front steps (north side) of the Madison County Courthouse.
- By Mail: Madison County Clerk, PO Box 37, Huntsville, AR 72740.
Minister credentials are processed on the day they are received. Please indicate the mailing address where you would like your credentials to be returned.
If you have questions, please contact the County Clerk's office at (479) 738-2747.
PROBATE COURT
The County Clerk serves as Clerk for the Probate Division of the Circuit Court. As Clerk of the Probate Court, the County Clerk's office is responsible for filing all court documents for record in decedent estate administrations, small estates, ancillary administrations, adoptions, guardianships of adults and juveniles, conservatorships, adult protective custody, civil commitments, alcoholic commitments, and narcotic commitments.
Click Here to Search Court Records
PLEASE NOTE: Arkansas law prohibits the County Clerk and her staff from giving legal advice. The County Clerk's office does not provide legal forms. If you have legal questions or need legal assistance, you should contact an attorney.
CIRCUIT COURTS
Madison County and Washington County comprise the 4th Judicial District of Arkansas. The Circuit Judges serving Madison and Washington counties are listed below.
Circuit Judge |
Division |
Address |
Phone: |
The Honorable Doug Martin |
1 |
280 N College Ave, Ste 402, Fayetteville, AR 72701 |
(479) 444-1552 |
The Honorable John Threet |
2 |
280 N College Ave, Ste 400, Fayetteville, AR 72701 |
(479) 444-1560 |
The Honorable Stacey Zimmerman |
3 |
885 W Clydesdale Dr, Fayetteville, AR 72701 |
(479) 444-1739 |
The Honorable Cristi Beaumont |
4 |
PO Box 4703, Fayetteville, AR 72702 |
(479) 973-8420 |
The Honorable Beth Storey Bryan |
5 |
280 N College Ave, Ste 403, Fayetteville, AR 72701 |
(479) 444-1556 |
The Honorable Mark Lindsay |
6 |
280 N College Ave, Ste 401, Fayetteville, AR 72701 |
(479) 444-1548 |
The Honorable Joanna Taylor |
7 |
280 N College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701 |
(479) 444-1682 |
The Honorable Diane Warren |
8 |
123 N College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701 |
(479) 695-1663 |
United States Passport Acceptance Facility
Appointments are appreciated, so if possible, please call ahead (479-738-2747) for appointment availability. If an interested person(s) comes into our office and does not have a prescheduled appointment, we may have to decline to process the application at that time, depending on the nature of the current staffing and office workflow at that time and ask them to schedule a time for them to come back at a future date. Having the Application prefilled and associated documents (i.e. proof of identity and proof of citizenship) photocopied and/or prepared is greatly appreciated by our office.
Process for Applying for a United States Passport:
1. Bring the completed Passport Application Form that applies. You may obtain the Form/Forms on the
Travel.State.Gov website or obtain
physical copies from the County Clerk's Office.
2. Provide all of the required documentation listed at Travel.State.Gov Website to our office.
Proof of Citizenship (such as a U.S. Birth Certificate [original or certified copy required])
Proof of Identity (such as a State Issued Driver's License)
Photo (If you would like to have your photo taken during your appointment or you otherwise do not have an acceptable photo to include with
your application, you may obtain one in our office for a fee of $15.00 per application)
Current List of Fees
Application Fees to be paid to the US Department of State must be Check, Money Order or Cashier's check.
Execution Fees to be paid to the Madison County Clerk must be Cash, Check, Money Order or Cashier's Check.
Unfortunately, we are unable to process Adult Passport Renewals. That said, if it is a renewal of a passport issued previously to a minor under the age of 16, then they will need to fill out a DS-11 Application, which can be processed in our office with the associated fees applying as stated in the "Current List of Fees". Passport Acceptance Facilities can only process DS-11 Applications, so if you are an adult who was previously issued a passport when you were over the age of 16 and you would like to renew your passport, you can find more information here and the associated Renewal Application (DS-82) here. If you would like the photo service done for your Renewal Application, you can still schedule a time for our office to provide you with that service; the photo service fee is the same for both DS-11 Applications and DS-82 Renewal Applications ($15.00 per application).
For any further questions, please call the County Clerk's Office at 479-738-2747