News & Notes - 2020 Ballot Issue Newsletters

What were the 2020 Arkansas Ballot Issues?

Download the complete Arkansas Ballot Issue Voter Guide or click on the individual ballot issues below to read the fact sheet.

Issue 1 - An amendment to the Arkansas Constitution continuing a one-half percent (0.5%) sales and use tax for state highways and bridges; county roads, bridges and other surface transportation; and city streets, bridges, and other surface transportation after the retirement of the bonds authorized in Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 91. Voters approved

Issue 2 - The Arkansas Term Limits Amendment Voters approved

Issue 3 - A constitutional amendment to amend the process for the submission, challenge, and approval of proposed initiated acts, constitutional amendments, and referenda Voters rejected

Issue 4 - The Arkansas Citizens’ Redistricting Commission Amendment Struck from the ballot

Issue 5 - A constitutional amendment establishing top four open primary elections and majority winner general elections with instant runoffs if necessary Struck from the ballot

Issue 6 - Referendum on Act 579, an act to amend the definition of “Practice of Optometry” Struck from the ballot

Newsletters - What ballot issues did we write about in 2020?

2022 Ballot Process Underway - December 2020

Now that the 2020 election is over, our attention shifts to potential 2022 ballot issues. Arkansas lawmakers convene next month and during the 93rd General Assembly, they'll propose constitutional amendments for the 2022 ballot.

Arkansans Pass Road Tax, Term Limits - November 2020
Arkansas voters ended lifetime term limits for state legislators and created a permanent source of funding for road construction and maintenance on Tuesday in the 2020 General Election.

Election Day Info for Arkansas Voters - October 2020
Early voting continues through Monday and then it's the big event. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Early Voting Starts Today in Arkansas - October 2020
Early voting started today in Arkansas. Bring your photo ID to the polls and a plan to stay safe.

Ballot Issue Voter Guide, Videos Available - October 2020
Voters now have two ways of reading the 2020 Arkansas Ballot Issue Voter Guide online or in print.

Courts Disqualify 3 Citizen Initiatives - September 2020

Arkansas voters have fewer decisions to make on the statewide ballot after court rulings this month disqualified three citizen initiatives.

Supreme Court Removes Issue 4, Issue 5 - August 2020
Sponsors using the word "acquired" when submitting information about canvasser background checks to the state led to tens of thousands of voter signatures being tossed and Issue 4 and Issue 5 being struck from the ballot.

Aug. 20 Deadline to Certify Statewide Ballot, But Uncertainty and Court Cases Continue - August 2020
Arkansas' official statewide ballot will be certified and sent to county clerks by Aug. 20 but that process won't resolve the uncertainty over which ballot measures will remain when voters finally cast their votes this fall.

Ballot Issue Groups Submit Signatures - July 2020
Ballot issue groups submitted voter signatures for three proposed constitutional amendments by the deadline Monday afternoon.

Ballot Issue Groups Scramble as Pandemic Petition Rules Change - June 2020
Ballot issue groups pivoted again this month in how they collected voter signatures for their proposed constitutional amendments after a federal appeals court blocked an earlier ruling that allowed them to collect signatures by mail.

Voters Can Sign Ballot Issue Petitions Without Canvasser As Witness, Judge Rules - May 2020
A federal judge said Monday that Arkansas voters can sign ballot issue petitions without a canvasser witnessing it, easing some requirements during the pandemic for citizen initiative groups to collect the nearly 90,000 voter signatures required to put proposed constitutional amendments on the November ballot.

Lawsuit Filed to Extend Voter Signature Deadline & to Allow Virtual Canvassing - April 2020
A group wanting to change the process for drawing congressional and legislative districts in Arkansas recently filed a federal lawsuit seeking additional time to collect voter signatures for their ballot measure citing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Signature Canvassing Opportunities Disappear As Events Cancel Across Arkansas - March 2020
Canvassers who rely on spring festivals and events to collect voter signatures needed to put constitutional amendments and state laws on the ballot are seeing these opportunities disappearing in light of COVID-19.

Dozen Ballot Proposals in Signature Phase - February 2020
A dozen potential ballot issues have been filed with the Arkansas Secretary of State's Office, meaning voters could be asked to sign 12 different petitions for the November ballot.

Referendum Survives Legal Challenges - January 2020
The Arkansas Supreme Court and now a Pulaski County Circuit Court judge have rejected efforts to prevent a referendum on a new state law from being placed on the November statewide ballot.