A Pulaski County judge has struck down a 2023 state law that increased the number of counties required for ballot initiative petitions, ruling the measure unconstitutional under the Arkansas Constitution.
In an order issued Thursday, the circuit court found that Act 236 of 2023 violates Article 5, Section 1 the Initiative and Referendum Amendment by raising the county distribution requirement for petition signatures from 15 counties to 50.
The lawsuit was filed in 2023 by the League of Women Voters of Arkansas and state Sen. Bryan King. The plaintiffs argued the law conflicted with the express language of the state constitution governing citizen-led ballot initiatives…