LITTLE ROCK – As the deadline for submitting signatures on statewide ballot initiatives approaches, Attorney General Tim Griffin has reiterated the guidelines governing signature collection. "As the July 5 deadline for signature submission draws near, there will likely be many people across the state this week making a final push to collect signatures for various ballot measures. It is imperative that both voters and canvassers understand and adhere to Arkansas’s laws on the collection of signatures for ballot initiatives. This benefits all involved; it protects the signatures from being challenged legally and upholds faith in our democratic process."
The law mandates that canvassers must be at least 18 years old, U.S. citizens, and Arkansas residents. They must also personally witness all signatures on petitions.
It is a felony for canvassers to:
- Sign someone else’s name on a petition.
- Print someone else’s name, address, or birth date (unless assisting due to disability).
- Solicit signatures from unqualified individuals.
- Pay someone to sign.
- Misrepresent the purpose of the petition.
- Falsely claim to have witnessed all signatures.
Voters should remember:
- Only registered voters may sign petitions.
- All signatures must be handwritten and given in the presence of the canvasser.
- Signers should only sign petitions relevant to their county of registration.
- A complete copy of the measure must accompany each petition during circulation.
- Information provided may be disclosed under Arkansas's Freedom of Information Act.
Reports have surfaced about unattended petitions in public places. Such instances violate regulations if someone signs while the canvasser is absent and if the canvasser later certifies witnessing those signatures. This could lead to legal challenges against all pages collected by that canvasser and potential felony charges.
On private property, collectors must comply with posted signs and obtain consent from property owners.
Complaints or allegations of misconduct should be directed to the Election Integrity Unit at (833) 995-8683.
About Attorney General Tim Griffin
Tim Griffin became Arkansas's 57th Attorney General on January 10, 2023, after serving as Lieutenant Governor from 2015 to 2023. He was also a U.S. Representative for Arkansas’s Second Congressional District from 2011 to 2015, participating in multiple House Committees.
Griffin has been an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps for over 28 years and currently holds the rank of colonel. His military service includes active duty as an Army prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with deployments including Mosul, Iraq.
He commands the 2d Legal Operations Detachment in New Orleans and previously led units at Fort Liberty (née Bragg), North Carolina. Griffin has held several key legal advisory roles within the Department of Defense.
Griffin earned a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College as a Distinguished Honor Graduate. He has served as U.S. Attorney for Eastern District of Arkansas and held multiple positions under President George W. Bush's administration.
A graduate of Magnolia High School, Hendrix College, Tulane Law School, and Oxford University graduate school attendee, Griffin is licensed to practice law in Arkansas (active) and Louisiana (inactive). He resides in Little Rock with his wife Elizabeth and their three children.