LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Arkansas voters have approved a ballot measure that would amend term limits for legislators while also rejecting a measure that would change how initiatives make it onto the ballot.
According to the latest data, 55% voted for Issue 2 while 45% voted against it.
Issue 2, which was added to the ballot by the Arkansas Legislature in 2019, would amend term limits for lawmakers.
Among the changes, a legislator can only serve 12 years consecutively and after four years can serve another 12 years. The amendment would also remove life-time term limits.
Any person that was elected under the previous term limit rules will be allowed to serve 16 years and be allowed to serve after four years have passed.
This is the fourth time since 1992 that Arkansans have voted on term limits for its legislators. A 2018 initiative was removed from the 2018 ballot after the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that signatures collected should be disqualified due to errors with the paperwork.
Issue 3 would have amended the Arkansas Constitution that would “amend the process for the submission, challenge, and approval of proposed initiated acts, constitutional amendments, and referenda.”
The measure would've required half of signatures from 45 counties instead of 15, move the signature deadline from July to January 15th of the election year, and would have no chance to collect additional signatures if the amount falls short.
It would have also changed how legislators would get constitutional amendments on the ballot. Instead of 50% plus one majority vote, Issue 3 proposes a three-fifths vote for approval.
According to the latest data, Issue 3 failed as 56% voted against it while 44% voted for the measure.
We will update this article with more information as it becomes available.