TPublic Policy Center | uaex.uada.edu/ballot

August 2025

No Google. Arkansas Does Not Have

Online Voter Registration

The other day a question came in asking about new voter registration laws. Arkansas legislators made a few changes to voter registration laws but nothing as significant as they did for the citizen initiative process.

Google, however, provided an Artificial Intelligence summary that said Arkansans can now register to vote online thanks to a new law passed in the 2025 session. False.

Google also said legislators eliminated the 30-day voter registration deadline before elections. Also false.

Rep. Andrew Collins filed a bill to create an online voter registration system but House Bill 1035 never made it out of the House's State Agencies and Governmental Affairs committee. Collins also filed House Bill 1036 to allow same-day voter registration on election day. That bill also failed to make it out of committee.

What did pass is Act 372, which allows registered voters who have moved to a different Arkansas county to update their voter registration information on Election Day. Previously, people had until four days before an election to update their residence.

Legislators also passed Act 278, which prohibits pre-filling the party affiliation field on voter registration forms. The form has a blank space for voters to fill out if they want to claim a party affiliation.

In June, the Republican Party of Arkansas State Committee voted to close Republican primary elections to Arkansas voters who are registered as Democrats. This means only registered voters who filled in the field on voter registration forms as Republican or left the field blank can now vote in Republican primaries, which is where many local elections are decided for communities without candidates on the Democratic ballot. Leaving the field blank defaults a voter to an Independent status.

The next primary election is March 3, 2026.

To register to vote in Arkansas, residents must fill out a paper application and submit it to their county clerk. They can also register to vote when obtaining a driver's license or identification card at the DMV. You can check your voter registration status by calling your county clerk's office or looking up your information on the Arkansas Voter view website.

League of Women Voters of Pulaski County Hosts Petition Launch Party

Groups involved in a 2026 ballot issue campaign related to the citizen initiative process in Arkansas hosted a series of kick off events this summer to build excitement for collecting voter signatures.

The League of Women Voters of Pulaski County held a kick off event Aug. 26 in Little Rock, providing people in central Arkansas with an opportunity to sign petitions.

The League of Women Voters of Washington County has been hosting tables at their local farmers markets to collect voter signatures. Leagues across the state, along with the League of Women Voters of Arkansas, and other members of Save AR Democracy are collecting voter signatures for one constitutional amendment while another group, Protect AR Rights, has a similar ballot measure that would enshrine several more citizen initiative rights in the state constitution.

Both campaigns are suing the state over changes to the citizen initiative process legislators passed earlier this year, and their complaints have been merged into one lawsuit. There has been discussion about joining forces on a single ballot measure but that hasn't happened yet.

"We remain in communication with them about how best to coordinate the effort to protect direct democracy," said David Couch, an attorney for Save AR Democracy.

Campaigns need to collect at least 90,704 signatures from voters in at least 50 counties to qualify constitutional amendments for the statewide ballot.

Status Update - Arkansas Ballot Issue Lawsuits

Name: League of Women Voters of Arkansas, Save AR Democracy, Bonnie Heather Miller and Danielle Quesnell vs. Secretary of State Cole Jester (5:25-cv-05087)

Intervening Plaintiffs: Protect AR Rights and For AR Kids

Date Filed: April 21, 2025

Court: Judge Timothy L. Brooks, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas in Fayetteville

Complaint: The lawsuit challenges Act 218, Act 240, Act 241 and Act 274 of 2025. The complaint also lists specific state laws, including § 7-9-601, § 7-9-103(a)(6), § 7-9-126(4), and § 7-9-113(a)(2)(A). Intervenors are also challenging: Act 602 of 2025, § 7-9-126(e), and § 7-9- 601(a)(2)(C).

Status: Judge Brooks set a hearing to consider the plaintiffs' request to pause the state laws while the main lawsuit challenging their constitutionality continues. The hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 30 in the federal courthouse in Fayetteville.

Note: The federal court system uses an online record system that is behind a paywall. Some lawsuit documents that have already been "purchased" are publicly available at https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69919853/league-of-women-voters-of-arkansas-v-jester/.

Name: Bryan King and The League of Women Voters of Arkansas vs. Secretary of State John Thurston (presumably now Cole Jester) (60CV-23-1816)

Date Filed: March 10, 2023

Court: Circuit Court Judge Shawn Johnson, Pulaski County Circuit Court

Complaint: The lawsuit challenges Act 236 of 2023, which increased the number of counties that citizens needed to collect voter signatures from to qualify constitutional amendments and state laws for the statewide ballot—from 15 counties to 50 counties.

Status: There is a Sept. 3 court date for a judgement hearing.

Name: State of Arkansas vs. Good Day Farm (CV-24-704)

Date Filed: Oct. 21, 2024

Court: Arkansas Supreme Court

Complaint: The state appealed a Pulaski County Circuit Court judge's 2023 decision that Arkansas legislators did not have the authority to make changes to the constitutional amendment voters approved in 2016 that allowed medical marijuana sales and possession in Arkansas. Good Day Farm and Capital City successfully argued that legislators were required to ask voters through the statewide ballot to make changes to Amendment 98. They based their claim on a 1951 Arkansas Supreme Court decision that said it was "inconceivable" that Arkansans meant to give legislators the ability to repeal or change constitutional amendments in the very amendment that allowed citizens to refer measures to the voters to decide. Amendment 98 allowed legislators to make limited changes without voter approval but the two licensed marijuana businesses said the legislature went beyond that scope. The legislature has made 28 changes to the medical marijuana amendment since 2016.

Status: No new hearings have been held. Justice Nicholas J. Bronni filed a letter to recuse himself from the lawsuit. The governor is responsible for appointment a special judge to replace him.

On the 2026 Ballot - From the Legislature

Arkansas voters will see three proposed constitutional amendments from the legislature on their November 2026 statewide ballot along with one bond issue question. The Arkansas Secretary of State will assign ballot issue numbers to the three amendments in 2026.

HJR1018 - The Citizens Only Voting Amendment

SJR11 - A Constitutional Amendment to amend Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, § 5, to protect the right to keep and bear arms.

SJR15 - A Constitutional Amendment concerning economic development in the state of Arkansas; and authorizing the General Assembly to provide for the creation of economic development districts to promote economic development.

Question 1 - Arkansas Water, Waste Disposal, and Pollution Abatement Facilities Financing Act of 2025

Citizen Proposals for the 2026 Ballot

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 Attorney General's Office, collecting voter signatures across the state and submitting the petitions to the Secretary of State's Office for verification.

Referendums require voter signatures equaling 6% of the number of people who voted in the last governor's election. State laws require 8%, and constitutional amendments require 10%

Attorney General Opinions

The Attorney General is responsible for reviewing the language and titles of potential ballot issues submitted to voters by the public. Ballot issue groups can circulate petitions only after the Attorney General verifies that the ballot title and popular name honestly, intelligibly and fairly describe the purpose of a proposed constitutional amendment or act, and that the wording of ballot titles scores at an eighth grade reading level on the Flesch-Kincaid test.

Find the full list: Tracking Arkansas 2026 Ballot Issues

Ballot Proposals Rejected

No new proposals have been rejected since the July newsletter.

Ballot Proposals Approved for Signature Gathering

July 28, 2025 - The Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment A proposed constitutional amendment regarding changes to the citizen initiative process was approved for signature gathering, according to Opinion No 2025-056. Jennifer Waymack Standerfer with Protect AR Rights submitted the proposed amendment.

May 21, 2025 - An Amendment Concerning Constitutional Amendments, Initiated Acts, and Referendums

A proposed constitutional amendment regarding changes to the citizen initiative process was approved for signature gathering, according to Opinion No. 2025-033. David Couch of Little Rock submitted the proposed amendment.

Feb. 26, 2025 - The Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment of 2026

A proposal to require identical academic and accreditation standards for schools receiving state or local funds was approved for signature gathering, according to Opinion No. 2025-016. April Reisma and Kwami Abdul-Bey of Little Rock submitted the proposed amendment. Note: This proposal is identical to the ballot title approved Sept. 19, 2024.

July 18, 2024 - The Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment of 2026

A proposal establishing government's obligation to share and deliver information to citizens as a right was approved for signature gathering, according to Opinion No. 2024-070. Robert Steinbuch submitted the proposed amendment.

July 18, 2024 - An Act to Exempt Feminine Hygiene Products and Diapers from Sales and Use Tax

A proposal to exempt period products and diapers from local and state sales tax was approved, according to O pinion No. 2024-068. David Couch of Little Rock submitted the proposed law.

PPC In the Community

Several Arkansas communities will have elections Nov. 18.

Let us know if you are one of them by emailing us at: publicpolicycenter@uada.edu.

We're currently working on local ballot issue fact sheets for a referendum in Ozark and a sales tax proposal in Marion County. The fact sheets will be posted on our website before early voting starts in mid October.

2025 Arkansas Rural Profile Available

Looking for Arkansas data for a grant or research?

Our colleagues in the Community, Professional and Economic Development unit published the 2025 Arkansas Rural Profile.

The publication analyzes trends of key indicators, including population, economy, infrastructure, social and economic stress, health, education and local government.

Get the Rural Profile

New Publications and On Our Blog

The Public Policy Center is part of the Community, Professional and Economic Development unit at the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in Little Rock. As the blog's editor, we wanted to share recent publications.