Arkansas Supreme Court Rejects Ballot Initiative
As you know, ballot initiatives have been a powerful tool in helping to re-establish or enshrine access to abortion in state constitutions. Just since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we have seen victories in states like Kansas, Michigan, and Ohio for abortion rights ballot initiatives.
During this 2024 election cycle, reproductive rights advocates in several states have been fighting to replicate those victories. One of those states is Arkansas. The organization Arkansans for Limited Government has been leading a ballot initiative to permit abortion in the state up to 18 weeks, with exceptions allowed beyond that point.
Supporters of the ballot initiative talked to neighbors, knocked on doors, and even approached voters in grocery store parking lots to gather the signatures necessary to put abortion rights directly on the ballot in Arkansas. They managed to collect over 100,000 signatures from 50 of the state's 75 counties, overcoming a recently imposed 50-county requirement designed to make it more difficult for voters to have their voices heard.
Despite meeting the signature threshold, the Arkansas Secretary of State refused to accept the signatures, claiming Arkansans for Limited Government did not follow all procedural technicalities for submitting their signatures. Last Thursday, the Arkansas Supreme Court sided with the Arkansas Secretary of State in a 4-3 decision, ignoring the will of over 100,000 voters and effectively ending the abortion ballot initiative on a technicality.
There is no further opportunity to appeal the state supreme court's decision. It is final.
You and I both know that anti-choice extremists are desperately attempting to silence voters because they know that they do not have the people on their side.
We at Project 50 are heartbroken over this outcome for the state of Arkansas. It is a frightening reminder of the vehement determination of reproductive rights opponents to win and assert control over women’s lives. Even in states that have strengthened protections for abortion through ballot initiatives, we must continue the critical work of electing pro-choice candidates whose positions on reproductive rights are in line with the majority of voters. We are dedicated to working with our Arkansas state partner, Progressive Arkansas Women PAC, to target anti-choice state legislators and replace them with pro-choice leaders who will listen to and empower their voters.
We must persist in this fight because women and girls in Arkansas and other states across the nation are counting on us to ensure they have access to abortion healthcare.
I hope you'll join us today in this fight by contributing $5, $10, or $50 to support our work to elect pro-choice leaders.
Always in choice,
Bryan Howard
Paid for by Project 50 (project50.net) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.