by David Cox
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Issue 3 in Arkansas’ election could bring sweeping changes to how measures get on a ballot.
Laura Kellams, the Northwest Arkansas director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, says the proposed changes will make the process more difficult for all Arkansans.
“It makes it harder for Arkansans, everyday Arkansans, to bring a proposal to their fellow voters.”
If passed, Issue 3 will enact three major changes to the citizen initiative process.
First, it would increase the counties needed to collect signatures from 15 to 45.
Second, it would change the date signatures are due from early July of the election year to January 15th.
Lastly, it would eliminate the “cure period” or a time where groups can gather additional signatures after intially submitting a proposal.
Kellams says these proposed changes hurt citizen-led campaigns.
“It would make it very hard if you weren’t a big money person to bring forward an issue.”
Providing a conservative point-of-view, University of Arkansas political science professor, Andrew Dowdle, says, if passed, the changes could limit ballot proposals, but also says that might not be a bad thing.
“If you can end up limiting the number of intiatives and refferendums, you get higher quality initiatives and refferendums.”
Dowdle also says the proposed increase of counties needed for signatures could also give more significance to rural Arkansans.
“You would have to have half of your signatures in 45 counties, so that would give rural counties and rural signatories a lot more weight.”
Arkansans have until November 2nd to vote early before Election Day, November 3rd.