On April 13, Arkansas approved of three bills (Senate Bill 486, Senate Bill 487, and House Bill 1715) which, much like Georgia's own recent legislation, would ban people from providing food and water to waiting voters as well as displace power from nonpartisan election officials and hand it over to partisan politicians.
Legislators also moved forward on Senate Bill 643 and Senate Bill 644. SB643 would move up due dates for the return of absentee ballots, as well as requiring them to be delivered by hand, rather than to a dropbox. SB644 would allow a state take over of election authorities.
From ACLU Arkansas:
"What we're seeing in Arkansas is the most dangerous assault on the right to vote since the Jim Crow era," said Holly Dickson, ACLU of Arkansas executive director. "Legislators are moving at breakneck speed to erect new barriers to the ballot that will disproportionately impact voters of color, as well as elderly and low-income Arkansans. These bills don't just make it harder to vote, they also make it easier for partisan politicians to interfere with local election administrators – something that could have disastrous consequences for democracy. These bills will make it harder for all voters – of all political stripes – to make their voices heard. We urge Governor Hutchinson to listen to the concerns raised by Arkansans across the political spectrum and veto these anti-voter bills."
