Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston has rejected a petition to put an abortion access measure on the ballot this fall, citing a procedural error by the organizing group, Arkansans for Limited Government. The group had gathered more than 100,000 signatures in support of a ballot proposal to legalize abortion up to 18 weeks after fertilization, with exceptions in certain cases.
Thurston stated that the group failed to submit a document naming paid canvassers and a signed statement confirming that they had been provided with required information. This led to the number of valid signatures falling below the threshold for ballot inclusion.
Arkansans for Limited Government disputed the rejection, stating that they had complied with all requirements and would fight the decision. They claimed to have provided the necessary documentation to the secretary of state’s office.
Antiabortion Republicans in Arkansas supported Thurston’s decision, with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders calling abortion rights advocates “immoral and incompetent.” Attorney General Tim Griffin criticized the group for failing to follow basic requirements for the petition process.
Abortion will be on the ballot in a dozen states in November, with previous votes tending to support measures preserving or expanding abortion access. The rejection in Arkansas highlights the challenges faced by advocates in more conservative states.
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