Secretary of State Says Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment Fails to Qualify for Ballot, Cites “Potential Signature Forgery” on Petitions

Elections,

On Thursday, Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester announced the Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment failed to qualify for the November ballot, citing examples of “potential signature forgery” and other shortcomings on the amendment’s petitions.

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 year, Arkansans testified in legislative committees about petition canvassers allegedly trying to provoke altercations and encouraging people to sign petitions multiple times.

In response, the Arkansas Legislature has passed several good laws intended to address petition fraud and other problems with the initiative process, but those laws have been tied up in court.

The Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment would amend the Arkansas Constitution to keep the ballot initiative process wide open and prevent the state legislature from enacting safeguards against petition fraud and other offenses.

Most of the ballot measure’s financial support appears to have come from out of state.

Ethics filings show the National Education Association in Washington, D.C., donated nearly $1.4 million to the campaign for the amendment this year. The National Education Association is the largest teacher labor union in the United States.

Another $250,000 came from The Fairness Project in Washington, D.C. According to its website, the Fairness Project currently opposes pro-life efforts in Missouri and supports a pro-abortion measure in Virginia.

On Thursday, news outlets reported Secretary of State Jester sent a letter notifying Protect AR Rights, the group backing the Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment, that it did not provide enough valid petition signatures to place the measure on the November ballot.

The Secretary of State’s letter reportedly noted a number of deficiencies and irregularities with the group’s petitions. KLRT Fox 16 News in Little Rock reports:

In a letter to Protect AR Rights, Jester wrote:

“Notably, 87 petition parts were for a different constitutional amendment, The Educational Rights Amendment of 2026, but were submitted with your petition. Two thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine (2,779) signatures were from individuals whose names were on the petition more than one time, whether due to them illegally signing multiple times or due to forgery. Fifteen times a notary appears to have notarized a canvasser’s blank signature line. Most troubling, in 504 occurrences someone appears to have forged another’s information or signature.”

The Secretary of State’s office also provided a 15-page document on its website highlighting examples of petitions that the office said were improperly notarized or that contained potentially illegal or ineligible signatures.

After counting the number of valid petition signatures submitted, the Secretary of State’s office reportedly determined that the proposal did not have enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Teacher Labor Union Gives Nearly $1M to Arkansas Ballot Measure Campaign

Elections,

On Monday, Arkansas Ethics Commission filings revealed an out-of-state group gave nearly $1 million to a campaign to place the Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment on the November ballot.

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 year, Arkansans testified in legislative committees about petition canvassers allegedly trying to provoke altercations and encouraging people to sign petitions multiple times.

In response, the Arkansas Legislature has passed several good laws intended to address petition fraud and other problems with the initiative process, but those laws have been tied up in court.

The Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment would amend the Arkansas Constitution to keep the ballot initiative process wide open and prevent the state legislature from enacting safeguards against petition fraud and other offenses.

Ethics filings show the National Education Association in Washington, D.C., donated $933,200 to the campaign for the amendment last month. The National Education Association is the largest teacher labor union in the United States.

The group backing the measure reportedly spent $500,000 hiring people to circulate petitions for the amendment. Family Council has obtained documents from the Secretary of State’s office showing the campaign has hired between 280 and 300 petition canvassers. They have until July 3 to collect the signatures necessary to place the amendment on the November ballot.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Equipping Christians for the Ballot

Elections,

Early voting is underway and candidates are making their final push to reach the voters before Election Day arrives. The rush of election season can be a demanding process as voters and candidates get to know one another and discuss the issues of the day. 

Voting is a right and responsibility. It is something many men and women have fought and died for to preserve. Though many Christians exercise this right, others choose not to participate. 

According to a George Barna survey conducted in 2024, 56% of self-identified Christians voted but 44% did not. Although turnout was historically high overall, millions of Christians still did not participate. This can always be approved upon. 

The American electoral process gives millions of Americans the opportunity to choose who leads federal, state, and local government. It is important to vote wisely. This is one reason Family Council produces the Arkansas Voter’s Guide. Many of the issues that are important to Christians are decided at the ballot box and that is one more reason Christians should engage in the political process.

The voter’s guide is a non-partisan, educational resource that shows voters where candidates stand regarding the issues that matter most to them. Candidates get the opportunity to answer a survey with a wide variety of issues and Family Council publishes their answers. Simply put, Family Council provides an impartial resource and voters get to decide who they want to represent them. 

Since Family Council first began publishing the Voter’s Guide in 1990, staff members have contacted hundreds – if not thousands – of candidates and distributed millions of guides to churches, individuals, civic groups, libraries, and others across Arkansas. Countless supporters have contributed to this effort because they recognize it as a vital resource for voters. 

Founding Father Samuel Adams once wrote in the Boston Gazette, 

“Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual – or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.”

Christians are accountable for many things, including how they steward voting. May it not be a responsibility that is taken lightly.

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