Learn About the Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment

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WHAT IS THE RIGHT TO PETITION?

When our lawmakers won’t enact policies for the people, citizens have the right to petition their fellow Arkansans and present ballot measures that matter to our communities. Our right to petition is a crucial tool when it comes to balancing power in Arkansas.

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WHAT IS THE RIGHT TO PETITION IMPORTANT?

When lawmakers fail to act on our behalf, Arkansas voters have used the petition process to 1) raise the minimum wage, 2) form a state scholarship fund, 3) establish term limits for politicians, and 4) expand healthcare treatment options.

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WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?

The Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment will protect your fundamental right to propose ballot measures, to gather signatures on petitions, and to sign petitions.

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WHO MAKES UP THE COALITION?

Arkansas Citizens First Congress, Arkansas Public Policy Panel, For AR People, Arkansas Appleseed Legal Justice Center, Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP, Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families, AFL-CIO, and Arkansas Education Association.

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HOW CAN I HELP?

We must gather enough petition signatures from citizens throughout the state, so we can get this measure on the ballot for all Arkansans to vote on — and we need your help! Sign up to volunteer here.

Learn About the Amendment’s 12 Key Protections for Arkansas Voters

  • 1) Creates a Fundamental Right for every Arkansas voter to propose measures, sign measures, and collect signatures for measures.

    A "fundamental right" is stronger than current law and gives voters maximum protections from political interference.

  • 2) States that only voters can change the Arkansas Constitution.

    3) Limits the state's role to clerical duties.

    4) Repeals the 50 county signature requirement and affirms the constitutional 15 county rule.

  • 5) Requires state to notify voters if their signatures are invalid; gives 10 days to fix.

    6) Requires state to notify campaigns of paperwork errors; gives 10 days to fix.

    7) Requires legal challenges to be filed within 10 days of certification.

    8) Requires measure challenges to be filed within 10 days of certification.

    9) Requires referendum titles to clear in what it they will do.

    10) Eliminates duplicative paperwork.

  • 11) Defines petition fraud; requires voter approval to change definition.

    12) Prevents people convicted of certain crimes from collecting signatures.

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Dive Deeper into the Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment

  • A graphic with text discussing whether creating a 'fundamental right' for voters to propose ballot measures, sign petitions, and collect signatures offers stronger protection than current law, emphasizing the importance of this legal change.

    01

    YES. Courts have allowed politicians to heavily regulate how citizens propose measures, collect signatures, and sign petitions. Our amendment makes the entire process a fundamental right, requiring courts to apply the strongest legal protections. The Amendment will force the state – not voters – to justify any restrictive laws.

  • Question about the state's role in ballot measure law.

    02

    YES. Stops politicians from playing political games with the ballot measure process by ensuring that any rule or law governing the ballot measure process must be purely clerical & can not burden the voter’s fundamental rights.

  • Text stating a question about Arkansas counties and signatures needed for a ballot, on a grey background.

    03

    YES. Affirms the constitutional requirement to collect signatures from 15 counties, repealing the legislature’s law that raised the threshold to 50 counties.

  • Text-based graphic asking if the state is required to notify voters if their signatures are ruled invalid and if voters are given an opportunity to fix errors.

    04

    YES. The state must notify citizens if their signatures are invalid, and give them 10 days to either re-sign or correct an error. The existing 30 day cure period for campaigns to collect additional signatures is unchanged.

  • A question displayed on a dark blue background asking if the state requires notification to campaigns when they make a paperwork error, providing an opportunity to fix errors.

    05

    YES. The state must notify campaigns if they make a paperwork error, giving them 10 days to correct the error, rather than disqualifying campaigns outright.

  • Gray background with white and bolded text asking a question about signature filing and state certification timeline.

    06

    YES. This prevents special interest groups from waiting until right before an election to file challenges, when it’s too late for voters or campaigns to correct any problems.

  • Question asking if it clarifies how to write ballot titles for referendums to repeal acts of the legislature.

    07

    YES. Requires ballot titles of referendums to repeal acts of the legislature to be “This is a referendum to repeal...” followed by the title of the legislation. This will stop politicians from playing political games and delaying the repeals process.

  • A digital graphic with dark blue background and white text asking if signature and petition fraud requires Arkansan voter approval to change definitions.

    08

    YES. Keeps petition fraud illegal, but also makes clear that fraud requires the intent to defraud. This prevents lawmakers from criminalizing honest canvassing mistakes or changing the definition of petition fraud without voter approval.

  • Text on a gray background asking if collecting signatures on ballot measures prevents people convicted of certain crimes.

    09

    YES. Registered sex offenders and people convicted of petition fraud and certain other serious crimes are not granted the fundamental right to collect signatures. Most other former offenders have the fundamental right once their voting rights are restored.

  • Text-based graphic asking if the new constitutional powers of the Attorney General are granted in the ballot measure process.

    10

    NO. Keeps the existing process for reviewing ballot measures - Legislature determines who reviews measures; historically the Attorney General - but prevents politicians or officials from abusing that authority to interfere with citizen-led initiatives.

  • Question about whether constitutional amendments limit the people's power to decide at the ballot box.

    11

    NO. We trust voters to vote on legislatively referred amendments. Our amendment does not change current law where lawmakers can refer up to 3 constitutional amendments per election and voters have the final say at the ballot box.

  • Text on a gray background asking if legislation creates provisions for emergency clauses.

    12

    NO. This is not relevant to improving the ballot initiative process and will have no practical effect.

  • Text question asking if it creates a referendum process for legislative acts affecting initiative and referendum rights.

    13

    NO. This is unnecessary because our amendment already: Limits legislative changes to clerical actions only; Protects the fundamental right to propose, sign, and collect signatures; Requires voter approval for changes to petition fraud laws.