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May 2022
Statewide Ballot Issues
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June Deadline Looms Over Groups. What's Circulating?
Citizen issue groups have until June 8 to publish the wording of their ballot issue in an Arkansas newspaper.

They are required to publish the title twice and reimburse the Secretary of State's Office for the advertising expense. Because of this, ballot issue groups move forward only if they're feeling confident in the number of voter signatures they have already collected.

At least one proposal has already been published. An advertisement notifying the public of a proposed constitutional amendment to remove Pope County as a casino gaming location was published May 22 in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

July 8 is the deadline for them to drop off their boxes and boxes of voter petitions at the Secretary of State's Office.

The deadline for the Secretary of State to send the official November ballot to Arkansas counties is Aug. 25.


Status of Statewide Ballot Issues
As of May 11, 2022, titles for 11 ballot issue have been filed with the Secretary of State's Office for the November 2022 election.

Based on media reports and posts on social networking sites, we know backers of these proposals were actively collecting signatures this month:


  • Arkansas Adult Use Cannabis Amendment - A proposal to amend the state's existing Medical Marijuana Amendment to allow for personal use and other changes was submitted by Steven Lancaster of Wright, Lindsey, and Jennings on behalf of Responsible Growth Arkansas.

  • Public Schools Amendment of 2022 - A proposal to increase funding for Arkansas schools, raise teacher salaries, establish how long school districts could be supervised by the state, and to establish the Division of Education as a constitutionally independent entity was submitted. No name is attached to the document, but according to media reports, the citizen initiative group Arkansans for World Class Education back the petition. Julia Taylor is listed as the group's chairman in documents filed with the Arkansas Ethics Commission.

  • Arkansas Medical Freedom Amendment - A proposal to prohibit the government or a private person from infringing on the medical rights of another person was submitted by Tanya Charlton.

2022 Arkansas Legislative Proposals
Arkansas representatives and senators voted to put three proposed constitutional amendments on the Nov. 8, 2022 General Election ballot.
A constitutional amendment to allow the General Assembly to convene in extraordinary session upon the issuance of a joint written proclamation of the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate or upon the submission of a written proclamation containing the signatures of at least 2/3 of the members of the House of Representatives and at least 2/3 of the members of the Senate to the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate requesting that the General Assembly convene in extraordinary session
A constitutional amendment to reform certain measures presented to voters, to be known as the "Constitutional Amendment and Ballot Initiative Reform Amendment”
A constitutional amendment to create the "Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment"
2022 Citizen Initiative Proposals
Arkansas is one of 15 states where citizens have the right to put constitutional amendments, state laws and referendums on the ballot for voters to decide.

The citizen initiative process involves filing a ballot title with the Secretary of State's Office, collecting voter signatures across the state and submitting the petitions for verification. The Board of Election Commissioners also must approve the ballot title.

Constitutional amendments require voter signatures equaling 10% of the number of people who voted in the last governor's election.

See the full list of what has been submitted in our April 2022 newsletter.
Public Policy Center | uaex.uada.edu/ballot
The Public Policy Center was established in 2004 to provide Arkansans with timely, credible, unaligned and research-based information and education about public issues. Public issues are defined as pressing and emerging issues that involve multiple points of view and have widespread consequences.

Our goals are to:
  • Increase citizen knowledge, awareness and understanding of public issues;
  • Enhance public participation in decisions regarding public issues, and
  • Help citizens craft, evaluate and implement alternative solutions to public issues.

News & Notes Volume 9, Issue 5. This e-mail newsletter is shared with Cooperative Extension Service agents, subscribers from the general public and election officials or educators identified by the Public Policy Center. To unsubscribe, click below on "instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe."

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