LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Ballot initiative groups are making their final push for petition signatures before the Friday deadline as they hope to get their issues on the November 2024 ballot.
Allison Guthrie, a multi-petition organizer, said that petitions are coming in every hour from across the state.
“Today is the last chance for Arkansas to sign any of the petitions, and participate in direct democracy,” Guthrie said.
Arkansas education ballot initiative receives pushback in final days before deadline to gather signatures The issues on petitions range from educational rights, legalizing abortion and a medical marijuana expansion, to modifying the state’s Freedom of Information Act, removing sales tax on feminine hygiene products and diapers, as well as repealing a Pope County casino license.
“There are some that are very, very close, and this last chance to sign could push some of them to the finish line,” Guthrie said.
Some groups’ efforts were met with others holding “Decline to Sign” posters targeting specific issues. Charisse Dean, field representative for the Family Council Action Committee, said they’re against the proposed abortion and medical marijuana amendments.
Arkansas Secretary of State’s office set to verify hundreds of thousands of ballot initiative petition signatures Dean said the abortion amendment is too extreme, but volunteer Caroline Morgan said it could be life-saving.
“I think it would save women’s lives,” Morgan said. “Right now abortion is all but banned.”
More than 90,000 signatures are required for each of the six constitutional amendments to qualify for the ballot coming from 50 counties, and 72,000 signatures are required for the initiated act to qualify.
“All of the BQCs, the ballot question committees, will be here at the Capitol, turning in all of their petitions to the secretary of state’s office and we’ve got a lot of dedicated people who are working and helping all of us get on the ballot in November,” Guthrie said.
The ballot question committees will be submitting those signatures to the secretary of state’s office in the state capitol by 5 p.m. on Friday.
Arkansas House passes resolution opposing proposed abortion amendment While there won’t be scheduled signing events tomorrow, there still will be opportunities to sign.
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