LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Pro-choice protestors gathered on Saturday in front of the Arkansas State Capitol, claiming Secretary of State John Thurston did not give the Arkansas Abortion Amendment a fair chance.
Those in attendance held signs, chanting and giving speeches about what the amendment means to them and why they believe the signatures collected should be counted.
The demonstration comes after Thurston withdrew the petition on July 11 because its organizers reportedly did not submit all the required paperwork regarding paid canvassers.
A day later, Arkansans for Limited Government (AFLG), the group behind the amendment, said in a letter that they did submit these documents, even claiming they did so multiple times.
Those at Saturday’s protest repeated this claim.
"To say that they were going to throw it out is inexcusable," Sharon Boyd-Struthers said. "It's not justifiable. In my mind, it shouldn't be... it's rather bogus."
A few counter-protestors against the amendment were also there, holding signs and standing silently off to the side.
Jerry Cox of the Family Council Action Committee is among those who oppose the amendment, but he said he wasn't there partially because he sees the protest as unnecessary.
"The chants about counting signatures and so forth are really missing the point," Cox said. "If you do not follow the law when you submit your signatures, then they're not going to be counted."
However, protestors believe they did follow the proper procedure.
The Secretary of State's office doesn't think so, and unless that changes, pro-choice advocates may be running out of alternatives.
"Legally, I don't know what we're going to do,” Boyd-Struthers said. “Except for doing it again two years from now to get it on the next ballot."
After AFLG released its letter, the Secretary of State's office reiterated its claim that the group did not submit the required paperwork.