From left: J.P. Tribell, Tom Bartole and Steve Grappe deliver petitions for a ballot initiative to exempt feminine hygiene products and diapers from the state sales tax to the Secretary of State at the Arkansas Capitol on Friday, July 5, 2024. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)
Looking back on the controversy and chicanery surrounding this year’s ballot initiatives in Arkansas, a few things are clear for groups who might want to make use of this power given to the people by our Constitution.
First, you’ll probably need at least two election cycles to get your idea before voters. Next, make sure your paperwork is pristine and follows all of the byzantine rules, even if they’re contradictory or unclear. Also, if the attorney general eventually approves your ballot language (likely to take weeks of negotiation) and the secretary of state certifies your petition signatures (that you’ve spent months collecting in the summer sun), don’t be surprised if the Supreme Court steps in to render your work moot .