Act 240 requires ballot campaign signature collectors to view a person’s photo ID before allowing them to sign a petition, creating unnecessary barriers to Arkansas’ ballot initiative process.
The ACLU of Arkansas strongly opposes SB208 because:
- It makes it harder for Arkansans to engage in direct democracy. Many signatures are collected in public spaces where people may not have their ID on hand. This requirement would unnecessarily block eligible voters from signing petitions and slow down the process.
- It places an unfair burden on canvassers. Signature collectors are not trained to verify IDs and should not be expected to spot false documents. The Secretary of State already has an extensive process for verifying voter signatures—this bill creates an unnecessary and duplicative hurdle.
- It is designed to suppress citizen-led initiatives. By making it more difficult and time-consuming to collect signatures, SB208 silences the voice of the people and limits Arkansans’ ability to shape their own laws.
Arkansas’ motto is Regnat Populus — "the people rule." But SB208 undermines that principle by restricting access to the ballot initiative process and discouraging civic participation. The ACLU of Arkansas stands against this bill and any effort to suppress direct democracy.