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Arkansas signature requirements
From Ballotpedia
Contents |
Federal offices
Partisan candidates for federal office in Arkansas are not required to submit signatures. Candidate filing fees are set by each political party's state executive committee. To establish a new party, 10,000 signatures must be collected. Once submitted, the party nominates its first candidates by convention. If its gubernatorial candidate garners at least 3% of the vote, the party may participate in the primary process for all offices the following year.
Write-in candidates must file a notice of write-in candidacy with the county board of election commissioners in each county where the candidate is seeking election. He or she must also file a notice with the Secretary of State before the final day of the party filing period.
Independent candidates are subject to signature filing requirements.[1]
U.S. Senate
Independent candidates must collect signatures equal to 3% of the total vote for governor in the last election. However, the number of required signatures may not exceed 10,000.[1]
U.S. House
Independent candidates must collect signatures equal to 3% of the total vote for governor in the last election in their congressional district. However, the number of required signatures may not exceed 2,000.[1]
Signature deadlines
2012
The deadline for partisan candidate fees and write-in candidate signatures was March 1, 2012. The deadline for independent candidate signatures is May 1, 2012.[1]
State offices
Partisan candidates for state office in Arkansas are not required to submit signatures. Candidate filing fees are set by each political party's state executive committee. To establish a new party, 10,000 signatures must be collected. Once submitted, the party nominates its first candidates by convention. If its gubernatorial candidate garners at least 3% of the vote, the party may participate in the primary process for all offices the following year.
Write-in candidates must file a notice of write-in candidacy with the county board of election commissioners in each county where the candidate is seeking election. He or she must also file a notice with the Secretary of State before the final day of the party filing period.
Independent candidates are subject to signature filing requirements.[1]
Statewide executive offices
Independent candidates must collect signatures equal to 3% of the total vote for governor in the last election. However, the number of required signatures may not exceed 10,000.[1]
State legislature
Independent candidates must collect signatures equal to 3% of the total vote for governor in the last election in their congressional district. However, the number of required signatures may not exceed 2,000.[1]
Signature deadlines
2012
The deadline for partisan candidate fees and write-in candidate signatures was March 1, 2012. The deadline for independent candidate signatures is May 1, 2012.[1]
Ballot measures
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| Laws • History |
| List of measures |
Ballot measure signature requirements in Arkansas differ between statutory initiatives, constitutional amendments, and veto referendums. For an initiated constitutional amendment, signatures equal to at least 10% of the total number of votes cast for the office of governor in the previous gubernatorial election are required. For an initiated state statute, signatures equal to at least 8% of the total number of votes cast for governor are required. For veto referenda, signatures equal to at least 6% of the total number of votes cast for governor are required.
| Year | Amendment | Statute | Veto referendum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 78,133 | 62,507 | 46,880 |
| 2010 | 77,468 | 61,974 | 46,481 |
| 2008 | 77,468 | 61,974 | 46,481 |
See law: Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, Section 1
Basis of calculation
Signature requirements are based on the vote cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. 774,680 votes were cast for the office of Arkansas governor in the 2006 election, while 781,333 votes were cast in the November 2, 2010 gubernatorial election.[2]
| Year | Votes cast for governor |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 781,333 |
| 2006 | 774,680 |
Geographic distribution
- See also: Distribution requirement
Arkansas requires that a petition must contain, from each of 15 counties, qualified signatures equaling at least half of the designated signatures for that county (1/2 of 10% = 5% for an amendment; 1/2 of 8% = 4% for a statute). For example, if 1,000 people voted for governor in a county and the petition is for a constitutional amendment, the signatures of 50 (5%) qualified electors are required. The requirement was created by Arkansas Amendment 7 in 1920.[3]
See law: Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, Section 1
Signature deadlines
2012
Signatures to qualify initiatives for the Arkansas ballot are due four months prior to the November election date in even-numbered years. Thus, the deadline to submit signatures for an initiated constitutional amendment, statue, or veto referendum for the 2012 ballot is July 6, 2012.[4] The 2010 deadline was July 2, 2010.
See also
- Signature requirements and deadlines for 2012 U.S. Congress elections
- Signature requirements and deadlines for 2011 state government elections
- Laws governing the initiative process in Arkansas
- History of I & R in Arkansas
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 State Board of Election Commissioners, "Running for Public Office," 2012
- ↑ Arkansas 201 Gubernatorial election results
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2010 Initiatives and Referenda: Facts and Information for the 2010 General Election"
- ↑ [Confirmed with Arkansas Secretary of State via phone on January 24, 2011]
