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Ark. Code Ann. § 3-8-205

Determination of sufficiency of petition — Calling of election

Applied in 12 court decisions — leading case Keep Our Dollars in Independence County v. Mitchell (2017)

Most recently applied in Becky Lewallen, in Her Official Capacity as Washington County Clerk v. Progress for Cane Hill, a Local-Option Ballot Question Committee (October 2024)

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(1) If the petition is determined to be sufficient under § 3-8-801 et seq., the county clerk shall certify that finding to the county board of election commissioners, and the question shall be placed on the ballot in the county, township, municipality, ward, or precinct at the next biennial general election as provided in § 3-8-101.

(2) If an appeal is taken from the certification of the county clerk, it shall be taken within ten (10) days and shall be considered by the circuit court within ten (10) days, or as soon as practicable, after the appeal is lodged with the court.

(3) The circuit court shall render its decision within thirty (30) days thereafter.

(4) If an appeal is taken, the election shall be had no sooner than sixty-five (65) days after the appeal is determined, if the decision is in favor of the petitioners.

(5) The decision shall be certified immediately to the county board of election commissioners, and the day for the election shall be fixed by the county board of election commissioners for not earlier than sixty-five (65) days nor later than ninety (90) days after the certification of the decision of the circuit court.

(6) Any appeal from the final decision of the circuit court shall be taken within ten (10) days and shall be advanced and immediately determined by the Supreme Court.

(7) In that event, the county board of election commissioners may, in its discretion, delay the election until after the final decision of the Supreme Court.

(8) If the decision is in favor of the petitioners, then the county board of election commissioners shall set the day for the election, which shall be not earlier than sixty-five (65) days nor later than ninety (90) days after the final decision of the Supreme Court.

(9) Except as provided in this section, a petition for local option election shall be governed by § 7-9-101 et seq. and the Disclosure Act for Initiative Proceedings, § 3-8-701 et seq.

Current official text: Arkansas General Assembly. Digitized from the UniCourt Code Improvement Commission public-domain capture. Reproduced from public-domain Arkansas statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.