For the various groups trying to get proposed amendments and statutes on the November ballot, the deadline for turning in the necessary number of signatures is rapidly approaching. Organizers need to collect signatures from 90,704 registered voters for amendments (and 72,563 for statutes) by July 5. Which, if you haven’t checked your calendar recently, is one week from today.
The proposals include ballot measures on abortion access, government transparency, public education, medical marijuana and more.
Whether the recent stories about police unconstitutionally interfering with signature gathering have you fired up or you just have a general enthusiasm for participation in the political process, you might be wondering where to find petitions — especially if you live outside one of the state’s larger metro areas. Voters in the further flung corners of Arkansas are especially important, thanks to a constitutionally suspect new law that requires a certain portion of signatures to come from 50 of the state’s 75 counties.
As supporters of direct democracy and civic engagement, we at the Arkansas Times want to help. Here’s a list of all of the signing events around the Natural State that we’ve been able to locate between now and Sunday, June 30. If you know of an event missing from this list, please let us know.
Northwest Arkansas
Permanent
Two Friends Bookstore & Cafe, 801 SE 8th St., Bentonville. Tu-Su, 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Cheap Thrills, 120 S. E Ave., Fayetteville. M-F, 10:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Sat, 10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
The Library Vintage, 48 E. Township, Fayetteville. Tu-Su, 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Columbus House Brewery, 701 W. North St., Fayetteville. W-Th, 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Justice Reform Coalition, 205 N. College Ave., Fayetteville. M-F, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Kaleidoscope Collective, 109 W. Walnut St., Rogers. Tu-Sa, 11:00 a.m.-6:00p.m.
Friday, June 28
Trans March, Block Ave. between Dickson and the square, Fayetteville. 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 29
Multi-petition Signing Event, corner of Rush St. & Main St., Harrison square. 7:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Fayetteville Farmer’s Market, 20 S. Block Ave., Fayetteville. 7:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Pride Festival, Dickson St., Fayetteville. 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Bentonville Farmers Market, 100 S. Main St., Bentonville. 7:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
River Valley
Permanent
Rover Valley Natural Pet, 2801 Old Greenwood Rd., Fort Smith. Tu-F, 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Sa, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Bookish, 63 S. 6th St., Fort Smith. Tu/Th/F, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Sa, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Friday, June 28
Russellville Pride Signing Event, 320 W. C St., Russellville. 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 29
Fort Smith Farmers Market, 3rd St. & A St., Fort Smith. 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Music Downtown @ Sundown, 320 W. C St., Russellville. 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Northeast Arkansas (including north Arkansas)
Permanent
Janssen’s Lakefront Restaurant, 9999 Edgemont Rd., Edgemont. F-Sa, 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Blytheville Book Co., 429 W. Main St., Blytheville. Tu-Sa, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Central Arkansas
Permanent
Wrap Right Packaging, 11323 Arcade Dr., Little Rock. M-F, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Sa, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
The YOU Center, 4 Office Park Dr., Little Rock. M-Sa, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
The Retro Fit, 315 Ouachita Ave., Hot Springs. W-Sa, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Stellar Beauty Collective, 545 Carpenter Dam Rd., Suite C, Hot Springs. W-F, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Arkansas Times, 201 E. Markham St. Suite 150, Little Rock. M-F, 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Garland County Library, 1427 Malvern Ave., Hot Springs. M-F, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Grove Park Green Market, 1105 DeSoto Blvd., Hot Springs Village. Th, 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Unitarian Universalist Church, 403 Barcelona Rd., Hot Springs Village. Tu, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 29
Thompson Library Parking Lot, 38 Rahling Cir., Little Rock. 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Lake Willastein Park, 309 Lake Willastein Dr., Maumelle. 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Laman Library Parking Lot, 2801 Orange St., North Little Rock. 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Williams Library, 1800 S. Chester, Little Rock. 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
McMath Library, 2100 John Barrow Rd., Little Rock. 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Perryville Library, 609 Aplix Ave., Perryville. 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Drive-Through Signing Event, 2620 Prince St., Conway. 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
White Water Tavern, 2500 W. 7th St., Little Rock. 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 30
McMath Library, 2100 John Barrow Rd., Little Rock. 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Dee Brown Library, 6325 Baseline Rd., Little Rock. 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Garland County Drive-Through Event, 1427 Malvern Ave, Hot Springs. 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church Drive-Through, 20900 Chenal Pkwy, Little Rock. 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Pompe Park Pavilion, 2560 Prince St., Conway. 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
South Arkansas (including southwest and southeast Arkansas)
Permanent
Clark County Library, 609 Caddo St. #6099, Arkadelphia. W, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Friday, June 28
DeQueen Signing Event, 320 W. Collin Raye Dr., De Queen. 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 29
DeQueen Signing Event, 167 Hwy 71 N, De Queen. 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Stamps City Council Meeting, 207 E. Antigo, Stamps. 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
East Arkansas
Saturday, June 29
Helena-West Helena Event, 106 Miller Loop, West Helena. 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.