Arkansas Wins in 2017, the group supporting a constitutional amendment to allow casinos in Arkansas, was granted an extended deadline, until August 26, to gather the required signatures to put the issue on the November ballot. The proposed constitutional amendment would legalize casinos in Boone, Miller and Washington counties.
Secretary of State Mark Martin’s office said it had verified 63,725 registered voters’ signatures, but 84,859 were needed to qualify for the ballot. However, since Arkansas Wind had gathered at least 75 percent of the valid signatures needed, the deadline was extended.
Arkansas Wins spokesman Robert Coon said, “Our campaign has covered significant ground in a short period of time because voters across the state understand the positive impact this proposal will have in the form of jobs, economic growth, tourism and tax revenue. We’re pleased with the results of the secretary of state’s validation process, and we remain confident in our ability to obtain the number of signatures necessary over the next several weeks to place this amendment on the ballot this November.”
Coon added Arkansas Wins also plans to challenge the state’s ruling that some signatures are not valid. He said the group can prove that the signatures should be counted.
Jerry Cox, head of the conservative Family Council Action Committee, said his group is making plans to campaign against the measure, should it be placed on the ballot. “What this does is it just opens more roads for people to harm themselves and for people to harm people around them like their spouses and their children. It’s just not worth it,” he said.
Last month Arkansas Wins announced it made an arrangement with Cherokee Nation Entertainment to operate the Washington County casino, if the measure passes. Currently video poker and other electronic gambling are currently legal at the Oaklawn horse track in Hot Springs and the Southland dog track in West Memphis.
