Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston recently rejected petitions for three casino-related initiatives submitted by the political group Arkansas Wins 2020. Thurston said his office could not count the 97,000-plus signatures on the petitions because the group failed to comply with a state law requiring signature gatherers be certified that they passed criminal background checks.
Arkansas Wins 2020 hoped to submit the three issues on the November ballot. At least 89,151 valid signatures were required. The constitutional amendment would legalize 16 casinos across the state, each to be owned by a different LLC. Paid canvassers were hired to collect signatures—a process that could become more challenging if voters approve an amendment restricting petitioning that will appear on the November ballot.
All three of these amendment drives are using paid canvassers, a process that would become more difficult if a legislature-recommended amendment restricting petitioning is approved by voters in November. A lawsuit has been filed to remove that amendment from the ballot.
