Arkansas Voters Reject All Four Ballot Issues

by Kristin Higgins - November 9, 2022

For the first time since 1960, Arkansas voters rejected all statewide ballot issues on their ballots when they went to vote Nov. 8, 2022.

Arkansans rejected marijuana, becoming one of three states to reject ballot issues that would have legalized the growing and selling of marijuana for non-medical purposes. Maryland and Missouri voters did pass their marijuana measures.

Voters here also rejected the Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment by less than 1 percent. The proposed amendment from the legislature would have added language to the state constitution to prohibit government from burdening people's religious freedom unless there was a compelling reason to do so and the government acted in the least restrictive way.

Nor will state legislators have the same authority as the governor to call lawmakers into a special session. Arkansans rejected that issue as well as a proposal to require 60% voter approval of future constitutional amendments and citizen-initiated state laws.

We review how Issues 1, 2, 3, and 4 faired across the state and what voter turnout looked like Nov. 8, 2022.

Find complete, unofficial results at the Secretary of State's website. Note: our maps are based on Associated Press data reported by the New York Times.

Find historical data for Arkansas ballot issues

 

 

 

FOR: 331,747
AGAINST: 517,387

Counties where Issue 1 passed: Crittenden, Lee, Phillips

 

 

 

 

FOR: 349,702

AGAINST: 506,392

 

Counties where Issue 2 passed: Baxter, Crittenden, Cross, Lafayette, Marion, Miller, Mississippi

Data is based on 73 of Arkansas' 75 counties reporting.