Interference with initiative petitions and proposed measures

Ark. Code Ann. § 7-9-127 — under Initiatives, Referenda, and Constitutional Amendments.

Ark. Code Ann. § 7-9-127

(a) Upon conviction, a person commits a Class A misdemeanor if the person knowingly:(1) Changes a signature other than his or her own signature on a petition;(2) Erases or otherwise removes a signature other than his or her signature on a petition;(3) Intentionally destroys or discards a signature other than his or her own signature on a petition;(4) Pays a person any form of compensation in exchange for not signing a petition as a petitioner;(5) Accepts or pays money or anything of value for the purpose of not obtaining signatures on a petition when the person is included on the sponsor's list filed with the Secretary of State under § 7-9-601;(6) Misrepresents the purpose and effect of the petition or the measure affected for the purpose of causing a person to not sign a petition when acting as a canvasser; or(7) Pays a person any form of compensation in exchange for destroying a signature on a petition.

(1) Changes a signature other than his or her own signature on a petition;

(2) Erases or otherwise removes a signature other than his or her signature on a petition;

(3) Intentionally destroys or discards a signature other than his or her own signature on a petition;

(4) Pays a person any form of compensation in exchange for not signing a petition as a petitioner;

(5) Accepts or pays money or anything of value for the purpose of not obtaining signatures on a petition when the person is included on the sponsor's list filed with the Secretary of State under § 7-9-601;

(6) Misrepresents the purpose and effect of the petition or the measure affected for the purpose of causing a person to not sign a petition when acting as a canvasser; or

(7) Pays a person any form of compensation in exchange for destroying a signature on a petition.

(b) A person may be charged with a Class A misdemeanor for each violation under subsection (a) of this section.

(c) (1) A ballot question committee organized to support a ballot initiative may destroy or discard signatures or petitions collected as a result of its efforts if:(A) The reason for the destruction or discard is documented; or(B) The petition did not obtain enough signatures to qualify to appear on the ballot.(2) Actions taken by a ballot question committee under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall not be considered a violation of this section.

(1) A ballot question committee organized to support a ballot initiative may destroy or discard signatures or petitions collected as a result of its efforts if:(A) The reason for the destruction or discard is documented; or(B) The petition did not obtain enough signatures to qualify to appear on the ballot.

(A) The reason for the destruction or discard is documented; or

(B) The petition did not obtain enough signatures to qualify to appear on the ballot.

(2) Actions taken by a ballot question committee under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall not be considered a violation of this section.