Arkansas election officials rejected petitions for an abortion-rights ballot measure that organizers hoped to put before voters this fall. The secretary of state’s office cited a lack of required statements regarding paid signature gatherers as the reason for rejection. The measure aimed to allow abortions up to 20 weeks and later in cases of rape, incest, or threats to the woman’s health or life. The rejection comes as a test of abortion rights support in a predominantly Republican state where top officials oppose abortion. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling removing the nationwide right to abortion has led to state-by-state battles on the issue. The rejection of the Arkansas proposal has left supporters, including Arkansans for Limited Government, considering their legal options. The proposal faced opposition from abortion opponents in the state, such as the Family Council Action Committee, who vowed to challenge it in court if it made the ballot. Planned Parenthood and other national abortion rights groups also did not support the measure due to its allowance of banning abortions after 20 weeks. The rejection serves as a setback for abortion rights advocates in Arkansas, where a law banning abortion has already taken effect.
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