The failed 2024 abortion ballot initiative campaign likely fueled a wider legislative backlash to direct democracy.
Arkansas
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
Direct-Democracy Backsliding Claims Another Victim
A paperwork snafu kicked an abortion rights measure off the ballot in Arkansas. Organizers can try again in 2026.
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
Arkansas Secretary of State Rejects Abortion Amendment Petitions
Surprising grassroots signature-gathering effort thrown into turmoil with no apparent path forward to November.
Posted inPolitics
Breaking the Ballot
Republican state lawmakers are enthusiastic practitioners of direct-democracy backsliding. Can voters hold them off?
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
Arkansas Gears Up for Difficult Abortion Amendment Campaign
Abortion rights supporters have their work cut out for them after the state attorney general certifies a constitutional amendment.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
The Modern-Day Company Towns of Arkansas
Fortune 100 giants Tyson Foods and Walmart have heavy influence over two cities within 20 miles of one another, tucked into the northwest corner of the state.
Posted inLaw and Justice
Arkansas Residents Make a Case for Reparations 100 Years After the Elaine Massacre
A small Southern town tries to come to terms with its blood-soaked legacy.
Posted inEconomic Policy
Another GOP Brainstorm—“You’ll Be Healthier If We Take Away Your Health Care”—Struck Down in Court
A federal judge rejects Medicaid work requirement programs in Arkansas and Kentucky because kicking people off their health insurance won’t somehow improve their health.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Putting Partisanship Aside, Arkansas Voters May Raise the Minimum Wage
And, reverting to partisan form, are also likely to vote for the Republican slate of candidates
Posted inLaw and Justice
Arkansas and Hawaii Medication Abortion Cases Present New Challenges
Two cases winding their way through federal courts involve non-surgical abortion access.