Archive - 2014 Voter Guides & Ballot Issue Newsletters
What were the 2014 Arkansas Ballot Issues?
Issue 3 - An Amendment Regulating Contributions to Candidates for State or Local Office,
Barring Gifts from Lobbyists to Certain State Officials, Providing for Setting Salaries
of Certain State Officials, and Setting Term Limits for Members of the General Assembly Voters approved
Issue 4 - The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Amendment Voters rejected
Issue 5 - An Act to Increase the Arkansas Minimum Wage Voters approved
Newsletters - What ballot issues did we write about in 2014?
Panelists Discuss, Explain Issue 3 - December 2014
Less than five hours after the polls closed Nov. 4, a constitutional amendment approved
by voters that very day took effect. A month after the election, Arkansans are trying
to better understand the impact of their decision to restrict lobbyist spending at
the state capitol, to create a new panel overseeing pay for elected officials, and
to make changes to legislative term limits.
Election Day is Today - November 2014
Election Day is here. Polls are open until 7:30 p.m.
State Supreme Court OKs Minimum Wage Issue for Nov. 4 Ballot - October 2014
Arkansans will vote on a proposal to increase the state's minimum wage after the State
Supreme Court rejected a request to remove Issue 5 from the 2014 ballot.
Early Voting Underway in Arkansas - October 2014
Arkansans had their first opportunity Monday to cast votes in the 2014 election, which
included ballot issues such as the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Amendment that survived
a court challenge.
Three Issues Still Under Court Review - October 2014
Opponents of several 2014 ballot issues have taken to billboards, radio and even a
State Fair booth to highlight their viewpoints, but voters will have to wait a little
longer to find out if Issues 3, 4 and 5 are on the state ballot.
Fact Sheets on 2014 Ballot Issues Now Available - October 2014
New ethics rules for state elected officials, statewide alcohol sales and a raised
minimum wage are among the five issues voters will be asked to decide upon when they
go to the polls on Nov. 4. To help voters understand the complexity of the issues
and the arguments on both sides, the Public Policy Center of the University of Arkansas
System Division of Agriculture has developed easy to understand fact sheets on each
ballot item.
Alcohol, Minimum Wage Make the Ballot But Lawsuit Filed - September 2014
The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Amendment has enough signatures to make the November
ballot, but retailers opposed to the amendment filed a lawsuit earlier this month
in an attempt to kick it off the ballot.
Last Weekend for Ballot Groups to Seek Signatures - August 2014
Two ballot groups seeking a spot on the November 2014 general election ballot should
know their fate next week. Aug. 21 is the deadline for the Secretary of State's Office
to tell local counties what will be on the ballot in terms of ballot issues.
Ballot Groups Missed Deadline for Ballot, Attorney Says - July 2014
Like many people on July 4, Secretary of State employees had the day off. The state
Capitol building was closed. Because of the national holiday, the published deadline
to turn in signatures for the 2014 ballot was the following Monday, July 7. This is
decades-old practice in Arkansas, but an attorney has asked the Secretary of State's
office to throw out thousands of signatures for an alcohol measure because the state
Constitution requires petitions to be turned in four months ahead of an election.
The real deadline, according to the attorney, was July 4.
Alcohol Expansion, Minimum Wage Step Closer to 2014 Ballot - July 2014
Thirty part-time workers are combing through thousands of pages of signatures submitted
Monday, July 7 by supporters of expanded alcohol sales and an increase in the state's
minimum wage.
Signature Deadline Looming for Ballot Groups - June 2014
Ballot measure groups have less than a month to collect signatures of support necessary
to put their proposed laws in front of voters in November. July 7 is the deadline
for groups to submit signature petitions to the Secretary of State's office.
Gay Marriage Petitioners Weighing Future After Court Ruling - May 2014
Gay marriage advocates are taking a wait-and-see approach before deciding whether
to continue gathering signatures to overturn a 2004 voter-approved ban on same-sex
marriage after a judge last week found the decade old amendment unconstitutional.
Voters Polled on Medical Marijuana, Minimum Wage, Ethics/Term Limits - April 2014
Arkansas voters who were polled in April reported high support for increasing the
state's minimum wage, split feelings on medical marijuana and opposition to a legislative-referred
issue that includes changes to the state's term limits law.
Ballot Groups Focusing on Signatures - March 2014
Over the next four months, Arkansas voters may notice signature collectors at festivals,
on street corners or at popular local hangouts.
Popular Name Issue Resolved - February 2014
State officials worked past the confusion of who is responsible for writing popular
names for legislative ballot issues and released titles Friday of two measures expected
to appear on the November ballot.
Attention Shifts to Proposals From Legislature - January 2014
Three ballot issues referred from the Legislature have taken an unexpected detour
- they are on hold until a popular name can be worked out for the proposed constitutional
amendments.