Issues can find their way to voters ballot in two ways: through citizen initiation or through the Arkansas State Legislature.

Arkansas State Legislature

The Arkansas legislature can only refer up to three constitutional amendments to the ballot each election year

Citizen Initiation

Citizen of Arkansas may initiate legislation as either a state statute or a constitutional amendment. Citizens may also repeal legislation via veto referendum.

To initiate legislations, citizen groups can submit the popular name and title of their proposal to the attorney generals office.

Interested in learning more about the process and procedure required to submit a ballot measure? Click here for more information.

Initiated Constitutional Amendments

Constitutional amendments seek to change or adjust existing law. This can serve the purpose of further clarification or to change the boundaries or requirements outlined in the existing law.

During the 2023 legislative session, a new bill was passed requiring that signatures be collected from at least 50 out the 75 Arkansas counties. Prior to this bill, signatures were required to be collected from 15 out of 75 Arkansas counties.

For amendments, citizens must gather signatures totaling at least 5% of the votes cast for governor in each of the counties.

Initiated State Statutes

State statues seek to bring about new laws. When filing a statute, citizens are seeking to enact new laws within the state.

In order to get a statute on the ballot, citizens are also required to get signatures from 50 of the Arkansas counties. In each of these counties, citizens must collect signatures totaling at least 4% of the votes cast for governor.

Signatures for initiated statutes and amendments needed to be four months prior to the election.

Signatures for veto referendums must be submitted 90 days after the final adjournment of the legislative session during which the targeted bill was passed.

If enough signatures are collected for an amendment or statute, it will appear on the ballot during the next election cycle.