Arkansans work to get signatures for ballot initiative
They have until July 5 to sign petition that will then go to Attorney General to get approved for 2024 election
Arkansas activists are in the middle of gathering enough signatures to get a ballot initiative before voters that would enshrine abortion access in the state constitution.
The Arkansas Abortion Amendment would prevent the state from restricting access to abortion up to 18 weeks after fertilization or in the instance of rape or incest, fatal fetal anomaly, or when abortion is needed to protect the pregnant woman’s life or physical health.
State Attorney General Tim Griffin approved the language for the proposed amendment in January. By July 5, they must collect 90,000 signatures, with a certain percentage for at least 50 counties represented on the final tally they turn in.
Sam Watson, spokesman for Arkansans for Limited Government, a grassroots organization tasked with garnering support for the effort, spoke to me about the ballot initiative's progress.
“We feel really good about it,” Watson said. “Our volunteers are putting in the work and cutting turf. And we are very, very encouraged. And I certainly do think that will get on the ballot.”
They have recruited roughly 400 volunteers and have 200 more in training. The organization has taken an approach that empowers local activists with decision-making and responsibility. People who live in certain communities will be more likely to figure out who will support the amendment and where to go to get signatures.
“The volunteers that we have working out there are much more aware of who they can safely contact for signatures and what kind of events and where to hold those events that will be most successful,” Watson said.
Once the cutoff date comes, the attorney general’s office will review the signatures to ensure that they were gathered correctly and that there wasn’t any confusion about dates and other information collected. If there are problems with a person, the activists will have an opportunity to address them by having that person sign again without any previous mistakes, like misdating.
“That's when the campaign starts,” Watson said. “We'll start persuasion campaigns. We'll do media blitzes and things like that. Obviously, we’ll hold more rallies. Our rallies have been very successful so far.”
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders formed a counter committee to work against the ballot initiative’s passage. Watson and others are unsure of what steps they will take to thwart abortion rights activists.
“We aren't sure what their strategies are going to be yet,” Watson said. “They haven't filed anything so far as I know with the AG’s office. It could just be kind of a scare tactic. We have no insider information on what their plan actually is.”