Arkansas 2022 ballot measures

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Four statewide ballot measures were certified for the 2022 ballot in the state of Arkansas. All were defeated.


HIGHLIGHTS
  • The Arkansas State Legislature referred three constitutional amendments to the 2022 ballot, of which, all were defeated.
  • The legislature is able to refer up to three constitutional amendments to the ballot for each general election.
  • A marijuana legalization initiative sponsored by Responsible Growth Arkansas was certified for the ballot and was defeated by voters.

    • On the ballot

    Type Title Description Result Yes Votes No Votes

    LRCA

    		Issue 1 Allow the Legislature to call for a special legislative session

    Defeated

    335,567 (39%)

    522,692 (61%)

    LRCA

    		Issue 2 Require a 60% vote to approve ballot initiatives

    Defeated

    353,812 (41%)

    511,580 (59%)

    LRCA

    		Issue 3 Provide that "government shall not burden a person's freedom of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability"

    Defeated

    433,473 (50%)

    440,686 (50%)

    CICA

    		Issue 4 Legalize marijuana in Arkansas

    Defeated

    392,938 (44%)

    505,128 (56%)



    Referral of 2022 ballot measures

    The following table illustrates the vote requirements for the legislative referrals certified for the ballot, the votes that the referrals received, and how Democrats and Republicans voted on the referrals in each legislative chamber:

    Arkansas Issue 1, Legislative Authority to Call a Special Session AmendmentDemocratsRepublicans
    Senate:Required: 18Yes votes: 30 (85.71%)No votes: 2 (5.71%)Yes: 5; No: 1Yes: 25; No: 0
    House:Required: 51Yes votes: 82 (82.00%)No votes: 9 (9.00%)Yes: 14; No: 7Yes: 68; No: 2
    Arkansas Issue 2, 60% Supermajority Vote Requirement for Constitutional Amendments and Ballot Initiatives MeasureDemocratsRepublicans
    Senate:Required: 18Yes votes: 23 (65.71%)No votes: 6 (17.14%)Yes: 0; No: 5Yes: 23; No: 0
    House:Required: 51Yes votes: 74 (74.0%)No votes: 18 (18.0%)Yes: 2; No: 17Yes: 72; No: 1
    Arkansas Issue 3, Government Burden of Free Exercise of Religion AmendmentDemocratsRepublicans
    Senate:Required: 18Yes votes: 27 (77.14%)No votes: 4 (11.43%)Yes: 1; No: 4Yes: 25; No: 0
    House:Required: 51Yes votes: 75 (75.00%)No votes: 19 (19.00%)Yes: 0; No: 18Yes: 75; No: 1

    Getting measures on the ballot

    See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Arkansas

    Citizens of Arkansas may initiate legislation as either a state statute or a constitutional amendment. In Arkansas, citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum. The Arkansas State Legislature may also place measures on the ballot as legislatively referred constitutional amendments or legislatively referred state statutes. The Arkansas Legislature can only refer up to three constitutional amendments to the ballot each election year.[1]

    Signature requirements

    Signature requirements in Arkansas differ between statutory initiatives, constitutional amendments, and veto referendums. For an initiated constitutional amendment, signatures equal to at least 10 percent of the total number of votes cast for the office of governor in the last gubernatorial election are required. For an initiated state statute, signatures equal to at least 8 percent of this total are required. For veto referendums, signatures equal to at least 6 percent of this total are required. Arkansas held an election for governor on November 6, 2018. Following are signature requirements for initiatives in Arkansas for 2022:

    • Initiated constitutional amendments: 89,151 valid signatures
    • Initiated state statutes: 71,321 valid signatures
    • Veto referendums: 53,491 valid signatures

    Signatures for initiated statutes and amendments needed to be submitted by July 8, 2022—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. The legislature adjourned the 2021 legislative session on April 28, 2021, meaning the deadline for 2022 referendums was July 27, 2021.

    Historical facts

    See also: List of Arkansas ballot measures and History of Initiative & Referendum in Arkansas

    In Arkansas, a total of 44 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 2000 and 2020. Thirty-two ballot measures were approved, and 12 ballot measures were defeated.

    Arkansas statewide ballot measures, 2000-2020
    Total number Annual average Annual minimum Annual maximum Approved Defeated
    # % # %
    44
    2.20
    0
    5
    32
    72.73
    12
    27.27

    Ballot initiative certification rates

    See also: Ballot initiatives filed for the 2022 ballot

    The following table shows the rate of certification for ballot initiatives in Arkansas between 2010 and 2020:

    Arkansas statewide ballot initiatives filed and certified, 2010-2020
    Year Ballot initiatives filed Certified
    # %
    2020
    16
    1
    6.3
    2018
    6
    3
    50.0
    2016
    16
    1
    6.3
    2014
    5
    2
    40.0
    2012
    6
    3
    50.0
    2010
    4
    0
    0.0
    Averages
    8.8
    1.7
    25.4

    Local ballot measures

    See also: Arkansas 2022 local ballot measures

    Click here to read more about 2022 local ballot measures in Arkansas.

    Not on the ballot

    Type Title Subject Description Sponsor Status
    VR Congressional District Maps Referendum Redistricting measures Upholds or repeals Senate Bill 743 and House Bill 1982 of 2021, which were designed to create new congressional districts following the 2020 census Arkansans for a Unified Natural State Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    VR Absentee Voting Referendum Suffrage Upholds or repeals Act 736, which was designed to change state law regarding absentee voting Arkansans for a Unified Natural State Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    VR "Stand Your Ground" Referendum Firearms Upholds or repeals Act 250, which was designed to establish a "stand your ground" law in Arkansas Arkansans for a Unified Natural State Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    VR Gender Transition Procedures for Minors Referendum Healthcare Upholds or repeals Act 626, which was designed to prohibit gender transition procedures for individuals under the age of 18 Arkansans for a Unified Natural State Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Recreational Marijuana Initiative Marijuana Legalize marijuana use for residents 21 years of age and older Arkansas True Grass Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Recreational Marijuana Legalization and Marijuana-Related Conviction Expungement Initiative Marijuana Legalize marijuana use for residents 21 years of age and older and create a process for the expungement of marijuana-related felony and misdemeanor convictions Arkansans for Marijuana Reform Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Teacher Salary and School Funding Increase Initiative Education Increase teacher salaries and appropriate supplemental school district funding Arkansas Education Upgrade Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Decriminalize Marijuana, Create Regulations and Grant Limited Immunity to Cannabis Businesses Initiative Marijuana Decriminalizes marijuana, gives limited immunity to cannabis businesses, and creates regulations on the cannabis industry Clair Danner Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Prohibit Property Taxes Initiative Taxes Prohibits taxes on property Committee to Eliminate Property Taxes From Arkansas Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA State Legislative Term Limits Initiative Term limits Changes term limits for state legislators Arkansas Term Limits Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Juror Authority to Determine Death and Injury Lawsuit Award Amounts Tort law Provides that jurors have sole authority to determine compensation amounts resulting from death or injury lawsuits Unknown Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Township Assemblies Initiative County and municipal governance Creates a local form of government called a township assembly Academy of Democracy Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Redistricting Commission Initiative Redistricting measures Amends the state constitution to create the Citizens' Redistricting Commission responsible for redistricting for the U.S. House of Representatives and the state legislature People Not Politicians Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Prohibit Government Infringements on Individuals' Medical Decisions Initiative Healthcare on the ballot Prohibits the government or individuals from infringing on another person's medical decisions, including during pandemics or states of emergency Tanya Charlton Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot
    CICA Repeal Authorization for Casino in Pope County Initiative Gambling Repeals the authorization for a casino in Pope County that was authorized by voters through Issue 4 of 2018 Fair Play Arkansas Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot

    State profile

    Demographic data for Arkansas
     ArkansasU.S.
    Total population:2,977,853316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):52,0353,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:78%73.6%
    Black/African American:15.5%12.6%
    Asian:1.4%5.1%
    Native American:0.6%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0.2%0.2%
    Two or more:2.1%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:6.9%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:84.8%86.7%
    College graduation rate:21.1%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$41,371$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:22.9%11.3%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Arkansas.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

    Presidential voting pattern

    See also: Presidential voting trends in Arkansas

    Arkansas voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

    Pivot Counties (2016)

    Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Arkansas, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.[2]

    Pivot Counties (2020)

    In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Arkansas had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

    More Arkansas coverage on Ballotpedia

    See also

    Arkansas

    1. ↑ Arkansas Legislature, "2019 Regular Session Important Dates and Deadlines," accessed March 15, 2019
    2. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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