With just over a week to go until the deadline, signature collectors for potential ballot amendments are getting more and more desperate. They have already set up outside of public libraries, vape shops, farmers’ markets, “pride” festivals, the Arkansas’s teachers union (the AEA), and the Democrat Party of Arkansas (not exactly a lot of foot traffic there these days), just to name a few. We’ve also received unverified reports that they have been spotted on public school grounds, approaching parents during school pickup.

And last week, one of the “Educational Rights Amendment” organizers even asked state lawmakers during a legislative hearing if they wanted to sign the petition. (Admittedly, that was kind of funny.)

But now, their desperation seems to have hit new lows: ‍According to new information obtained exclusively by Opportunity Arkansas, petitioners are planning to enter the Pulaski County jail next week—not to film another Netflix documentary but to register voters and gather signatures for their Left-wing amendments.‍‍

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PETITIONERS PLAN TO ENTER PULASKI COUNTY JAIL TO GATHER SIGNATURES

Opportunity Arkansas (OA) received an exclusive tip and was provided with screenshots from a virtual forum amendment supporters are using to organize and coordinate efforts. As you will see in the images below, liberal activist Alison Guthrie notified group members that they have been granted access to the Pulaski County Jail to “educate about the ballot initiatives and allow inmates to sign/register to vote if eligible.” 

According to Guthrie, petitioners intend to gather signatures for a variety of amendments, including the “Educational Rights Amendment of 2024” which would end education freedom forever, create massive new welfare programs, and lead to tax increases on Arkansas workers.

Guthrie is a paid canvasser for at least two of the proposed amendments (abortion expansion and marijuana). She also appears frequently on the “For AR Kids” Instagram account and identities herself as being a representative of the group.

OA filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Pulaski County Jail in an effort to corroborate these claims. In response, we received these two text messages:

The text exchange also mentions an email to Major Rose (presumably an employee of the Pulaski County Jail), but as of Wednesday evening, no such emails had been sent in response to our FOIA.

We have followed up to ensure no documents were omitted and to ask for additional records that may have been created this week. We will update this story if/when we receive additional documentation.

This statement from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office was also sent in response to our request:

‍Shannon Bass is a member of the Citizens Advisory Board. She contacted our agency Neighborhood Coordinator via text to inquire about jail entry. Our Neighborhood Coordinator provided her with the telephone number to Major Rose in the jail. Our Neighborhood Coordinator then called the Major to notify her of the request and to pass along Ms. Bass' telephone number. Major Roses [sic] called Ms. Bass to discuss the matter. In the Documents Tab you will find a copy of the text messages from Ms. Bass to our Neighborhood Coordinator.

Unfortunately, these findings raise more questions than answers, including serious legal questions.

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STATE LAW FROWNS UPON THE USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES TO SUPPORT (OR OPPOSE) BALLOT MEASURES

Clearly, based on their own words, these activists intend to go behind prison gates and gather signatures for a smorgasbord of Left-wing ballot amendments. But who sanctioned this? And is it even legal?

Act 312 of 2013–now found in ACA 7-1-111–addresses this very topic.

Here’s the most relevant section for the topic at hand:

‍“It is unlawful for a public servant or a governmental body to expend or permit the expenditure of public funds to support or oppose a ballot measure.”

In the statute, public funds are clearly defined as “funds, moneys, receivables, grants, investments, instruments, real or personal property, or other assets, liabilities, equities, revenues, receipts, or disbursements belonging to, held by, or passed through a governmental body.” 

This would certainly seem to apply in this case since the petition gathering would clearly utilize public property, at minimum.

Violations of this law are a Class A misdemeanor. If found guilty, the law calls for the public servant in question to be removed and banned from holding any public office, employment, or appointment to a governmental body in the future.

(Ironically, former Rep. Nate Bell, who is an organizer of the FOIA amendment effort, was the lead sponsor of Act 312, one of the petitions that will reportedly be circulated at the jail.)

Ultimately, a judge would have to make a ruling on these activities, in full view of Arkansas law, and determine if they violate state statute. But based on a plain reading of the statute, this Left-wing plan is legally dubious, at best.

And legal concerns aside, this apparent decision by the Pulaski County Jail is inappropriate. Arkansans of all political stripes pay local taxes to support the jail and its operations. For that very reason, government should not be taking sides in any form or fashion when it comes to policy or political issues like these.

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IS THIS A LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO GAME THE SYSTEM AND TRIGGER A DEADLINE EXTENSION?

It’s no surprise that the Left is scrambling. With a July 5th deadline signature looming, their self-reported counts show them lagging way behind the necessary signature threshold. But it is entirely possible this latest effort is a last-ditch attempt to artificially extend the clock.

Here’s how this works: If petitioners meet the initial threshold of signatures, they can qualify for an additional 30-day signature collection period, provided that at least 75 percent of their initial signatures are deemed valid. Arkansas is one of just two states that allow for this, called a “cure period.”

But if they fail to meet the initial threshold (90,704 signatures), they cannot extend their time and get the additional 30 days. It’s all over.

Now, this strategy likely raises serious legal questions of its own, as knowingly submitting fraudulent signatures is a felony under Arkansas law, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and up to six years in prison.

But behind closed prison doors, who’s going to know?

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ARKANSANS DESERVE ANSWERS

While no doubt many Pulaski County Jail inmates retain their voting rights, many felons do not, and signers of petitions must be legal, registered Arkansas voters.

But how will signature gatherers know who is eligible and who is ineligible? Will jail staff help them determine voter eligibility, potentially introducing additional violations of state law while doing so on taxpayer time? Or will petitioners just register and get signatures from as many inmates as they can?

And behind closed prison doors, who’s to stop them?

Additionally, Arkansans deserve to know:

• What, if anything, will be done to stop this Left-wing infiltration of the Pulaski County Jail?
• Who specifically in the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office sanctioned this?
• What security and safety risks does this pose?
• Will Arkansans who oppose these proposed ballot amendments be given equal time and access to make their case to inmates?

It seems as though these Left-wing activists will stop at nothing to kill education freedom forever and cement a blank check into the state constitution. 

But this time, they have gone too far, and Arkansans deserve answers.

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UPDATE, June 27th, 11:45am: This morning, OA's was supplied with the missing email from our original FOIA request. You can view the email here and the attachment here.