2014 Arkansas General Election Issue Number 4

Below is an excerpt from the review of Issue Number 4 from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Research and Extension. 

What is being proposed? 

Issue 4 would change the Arkansas Constitution to make the sale, manufacture, distribution and transportation of alcohol legal statewide. It would end the practice of local elections on alcohol sales, a process commonly called “wet” or “dry” elections. State legislators would continue to have the ability to regulate the sale, distribution and transportation of alcohol, but could not prohibit it. 

Why is this issue on the ballot? 

Sponsors want to make the sale of alcohol legal in dry counties but said the number of signatures to put the issue on the ballot at the local level is difficult to collect. Arkansas election law makes it easier to put the issue of alcohol sales up for a statewide vote than to have elections county by county on the matter. A statewide election on any constitutional amendment requires signatures representing 10 percent of the people who voted in the last election for governor, whereas a local election on a county’s alcohol status requires signatures from 38 percent of registered voters in that county.

See the entire review HERE