Arkansas official rejected valid abortion ballot signatures, lawsuit claims

Organizers of a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the Arkansas state constitution have sued a top state official Tuesday, accusing him of improperly rejecting signatures they submitted in support of putting the measure on the November ballot.

The group, Arkansans for Limited Government, submitted more than 101,000 signatures in support of its ballot proposal on July 5, its lawsuit says. Five days later, Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston rejected their signatures because, he said, they had not submitted required paperwork, including a statement identifying all paid canvassers used by the group.

In their lawsuit, Arkansans for Limited Government pushed back, claiming that the group had fully complied with Arkansas law and provided the names of the recruiters. They also argued that even if they had not complied with the law, they should have been given the opportunity to correct the paperwork.

“Our compliance with the law is clear and well-documented,” Lauren Cowles, executive director of Arkansans for Limited Government, said in a statement. “The Secretary of State’s refusal to count valid signatures is an affront to democracy and an attempt to undermine the will of the people.”

Arkansas currently bans all abortions except in medical emergencies. The Arkansans for Limited Government ballot measure would allow people to have abortions up to 18 weeks of pregnancy, and in cases of rape or incest.

“We are reviewing the lawsuit and have no further comment at this time,” Chris Powell, spokesman for the Arkansas Secretary of State, said in an email.

To go before voters in November, the ballot must be certified by Aug. 22. The lawsuit from Arkansans for Limited Government asks the Arkansas Supreme Court to force Thurston to begin counting and verifying signatures so the measure can meet that deadline.

In the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, voters in states like Michigan, Ohio, and Kansas have all passed ballot measures protecting abortion rights. A number of states, including Nevada, Arizona, and Florida, are poised to put abortion-related ballot measures before voters this november. Democrats hope the measures will boost turnout among their base, while anti-abortion activists and their Republican allies have sought to pass similar measures in states such as Missouri and South Dakota.