LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — While most are focused on the primary election, many have already been looking to November as canvassers for close to a dozen ballot proposals have been using this election cycle to gain momentum.
On the first day of early voting at the Garland County Library, the political group Arkansas for Limited Government canvassed for hours.
"We're getting signatures on petitions, and we have to have 90,000, across the state by July 5th," said Garland County petition co-lead Kay Hughes.
They're hoping to put abortion on the ballot and if it passes, the amendment would amend the state constitution, changing abortion access from a near ban to 18 weeks with certain exceptions for rape, incest, and health concerns.
"I think we see an opportunity to make a difference. Where sometimes just voting alone on the politicians who are on the ballot is not going to make a difference," Hughes described.
However, they're not the only ones who have been looking for signatures. There are 10 approved ballot initiatives so far and state officials say it's a record.
Before anything goes on the ballot, petitions must go through the Secretary of State's office.
"We'll have to verify if they have enough signatures turned in for us to proceed to verify all of them. But yeah, we could, we could end up with a pretty heavy year," explained Chris Powell, the Press Officer for the Secretary of State.
However, lots of ballot initiatives don't necessarily mean there'll be more to vote on this fall.
"It's a very involved process. And so some may pass muster, and some may not end up on the ballot in November," Powell added.
So with thousands of signatures to go, canvassers like Hughes explained how they're just getting started.
"It drives democracy. We don't have democracy without enlightened voters, and to become enlightened, you have to get involved," Hughes said.
Not just anything can be on the ballot, the groups that are canvassing right now have already been approved to gather signatures by the Attorney General's office.
They have until July to get enough people to sign the forms so they can advance to the next step on the way to getting on the ballot in November.