Arkansas’s top elections official has determined that a campaign to put a medical marijuana expansion initiative on the state’s November ballot has come up short on signatures to qualify. But even with just weeks left until the election, the campaign is planning to fight back in court.
About a month after Arkansans for Patient Access (APA) turned in a final batch of petitions for the cannabis measure, with over 150,000 signatures from all of the state’s 75 counties, Secretary of State John Thurston (R) advised the campaign that only 88,040 were valid, whereas they needed 90,704.
The measure is still set to appear on the ballot given printing deadlines that have already passed, but as for now, votes will not be counted on the measure after Election Day.
After activists submitted an initial batch of petitions in early August, the state official advised they had an “insufficient” total at that time, kicking off a 30-day curing period for the campaign to make up the difference. According to Thurston’s office, they didn’t reach that goal.
Here’s the secretary of state’s message to the campaign:
“Our office has completed its review of the signatures collected during the thirty (30) day cure period
Read full article on Marijuana Moment
