On Tuesday, a coalition of liberal groups asked a federal judge to block anti-fraud safeguards the Arkansas Legislature has enacted regarding the ballot initiative process.
The lawsuit specifically challenges the following laws:
- Act 153 of 2025 by Rep. David Ray (R — Maumelle) and Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) making it clear that petition signatures expire at the end of a General Election cycle.
- Act 154 of 2025 by Rep. David Ray (R — Maumelle) and Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) preventing the Arkansas Attorney General from certifying ballot titles for any measure that conflicts with the U.S. Constitution or federal law.
- Act 218 of 2025 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) and Rep. Kendon Underwood (R — Cave Springs) requiring canvassers to inform people that petition fraud is a crime before obtaining their signatures on a petition.
- Act 240 of 2025 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) and Rep. Kendon Underwood (R — Cave Springs) requiring canvassers to verify a person’s identity via photo ID before obtaining the person’s signature on a petition to help prevent people from fraudulently signing someone else’s name.
- Act 241 of 2025 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) and Rep. Kendon Underwood (R — Cave Springs) requiring petition canvassers to file an affidavit with the Secretary of State verifying the canvasser complied with the Arkansas Constitution and all laws concerning canvassing, perjury, forgery, and fraud.
- Act 273 of 2025 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) and Rep. Kendon Underwood (R — Cave Springs) clarifying that the signatures a canvasser collects will not count if the Secretary of State finds the canvasser has violated Arkansas’ laws concerning canvassing, perjury, forgery, or fraud.
- Act 274 of 2025 by Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) and Rep. Kendon Underwood (R — Cave Springs) requiring people to read the ballot title – which is a summary of the measure – before signing a petition.
- Act 453 of 2025 by Rep. DeAnn Vaught (R — Horatio) and Sen. Kim Hammer (R — Benton) requiring petition canvassers for ballot measures to be Arkansas residents who actually live in the state.
The motion filed Monday also argues the court should block Arkansas’ anti-fraud laws that require paid canvassers to be registered with the state, prohibit sponsors from paying canvassers per signature, and require paid canvassers to pass a background check.
We have written repeatedly about how Arkansas’ ballot initiative process has become the opposite of what it was intended to be. The Arkansas Constitution lets canvassers circulate petitions to place measures on a general election ballot. Its original intent was to give citizens a way to function as a “legislative body.” But instead of giving everyday people a way to enact their own laws, special interests have hired people to circulate petitions to place misleading, deceptive, and poorly written measures on the ballot in Arkansas.
Last spring Arkansans testified before lawmakers about petition canvassers allegedly trying to provoke altercations and encouraging people to sign petitions multiple times.
Arkansas’ legislators passed good measures this year to tighten the ballot initiative process. Now those laws are being challenged.
The groups suing the state are asking the federal court to strike down safeguards that the legislature passed to address petition fraud and help average voters understand the ballot measures.
We believe our federal courts ultimately will uphold these good laws as constitutional.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
