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Contact
Kristin Higgins
Public Policy Center
Phone: 501-671-2160
Email: khiggins@uada.edu
Office:
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
2301 S. University Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72204
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
2301 S. University Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72204
Marijuana Maybe, But No Casino Vote On Nov. 8
Recreational marijuana is on the ballot - for now.
The Arkansas Supreme Court responded to Responsible Growth Arkansas' request to temporarily put the issue on the November ballot until justices have time to review whether the text of the citizen group's ballot title should have been certified.
The Secretary of State's Office must send counties the official General Election ballot
by Aug. 25, which isn't enough time for the court to review the lawsuit Responsible Growth Arkansas filed Aug. 4 after the State Board of Election Commissioners
declined to certify their ballot title despite the group obtaining the required number
of voter signatures.
Recreational Marijuana will be Issue 4 on the Nov. 8 ballot. If the court decides
against the issue's inclusion on the ballot, any votes cast for or against the measure
won't be counted.
The proposal would change the state's medical marijuana amendment from 2016 to allow for the growing
and selling of recreational marijuana. It also would allow adults 21 and older to
legally possess up to one ounce of marijuana.
State election commissioners rejected the proposal's ballot title after saying it
should explain how it repeals a requirement that foods or drinks combined with marijuana
not exceed 10 mg of THC per portion. The title instead mentioned the proposal would
eliminate an existing section of law.
One of those commissioners also said she was concerned that removing requirements
for owners to have background checks could allow people with criminal backgrounds
to own marijuana facilities.
Casino Proposal Misses Mark
Fair Play for Arkansas 2022 did not collect enough voter signatures to qualify their
ballot title for the General Election, according to the Secretary of State's Office.
The group's proposal would have removed Pope County as one of the four casino gaming locations authorized
in the state constitution.
Election officials notified the group that only 62,859 of the signatures submitted
in July were verified. That put the group below the threshold to qualify for the ballot
and to qualify for additional time to collect more voter signatures.
State election commissioners also declined to certify the ballot title submitted by
Fair Play for Arkansas 2022 when they met Aug. 3.
What's Next?
The Arkansas Supreme Court has scheduled multiple deadlines through Sept. 2 for attorneys
in the recreational marijuana case to file their various responses to the claims made
in the lawsuit.
In addition to the recreational marijuana proposal, the 2022 ballot will include three
proposed constitutional amendments from the Arkansas legislature. Find links to those
proposals at uaex.uada.edu/ballot.
We will publish a voter guide online in early September on the final ballot measures.
A printed voter guide will be available at county Extension offices by early October.