It’s your time to raise your voices and speak up!
Arkansas lawmakers are once again trying to take power away from the people. A slate of bills (SB207-SB212) threatens direct democracy in our state by making it significantly harder for citizens to propose and qualify ballot initiatives. If passed, these bills would shift power away from Arkansans and into the hands of politicians—and we cannot let that happen.
The good news? We still have time to stop these attacks. The Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee will be voting on these bills on Tuesday, February 11th, and we need to show up stronger than ever to defend our right to shape our state’s future.
We have a plan to fight back
We’ve created a new mobilization toolkit to help you take action in the most effective way possible. Calls and texts to senators, showing up at the Capitol, and spreading the word are critical right now.
What’s in the Toolkit?
✔ A breakdown of why these bills are dangerous
✔ Phone numbers and call scripts to contact key senators
✔ Details on the public comment hearing, peaceful sit-in, and Capitol protest
✔ Messaging points for making a strong case against these bills
✔ Social media posts and hashtags to amplify the movement
📥 Download the full toolkit: Toolkit for Mobilizing Opposition to Anti-Democracy Ballot Initiative Bills
What are these bills and why are they dangerous?
These bills target the ballot initiative process by creating unnecessary barriers for grassroots efforts. If passed, they would make it nearly impossible for Arkansans to pass citizen-led initiatives like those that expanded medical marijuana access and raised the minimum wage.
Here’s What’s at Stake:
🔹 SB207 – Forces canvassers to warn people about petition fraud, creating unnecessary fear around signing petitions.
🔹 SB208 – Requires a photo ID to sign petitions, even though Arkansas doesn’t require an ID to register to vote.
🔹 SB209 – Gives the Secretary of State unchecked power to throw out all signatures collected by a canvasser.
🔹 SB210 – Forces canvassers to read the entire ballot title to each signer, making signature collection impractical.
🔹 SB211 – Requires affidavits before counting signatures, delaying and complicating petition efforts.
🔹 SB212 – Creates a new government division with full subpoena power to investigate petitions, increasing political intimidation.
This is a direct attack on our ability to hold politicians accountable and pass laws that benefit Arkansans. We must fight back.
Take action today
There are three ways to fight back before February 11th:
✔ Call & text key senators – Lawmakers rarely read emails, so calls and texts will be most effective. Find phone numbers and sample scripts in the toolkit.
✔ Show up at the Arkansas Capitol on Feb. 11th – Whether you want to speak, participate in a sit-in, or protest outside, your presence matters. Details are in the toolkit.
✔ Spread the word – Share this post and the toolkit to help mobilize others.
Get the full toolkit with all the details: Toolkit for Mobilizing Opposition to Anti-Democracy Ballot Initiative Bills
We Can Stop This
This fight is winnable, but only if we take action now. Let’s make sure Arkansas remains a place where the people rule—not politicians. See you at the Capitol!
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