Political candidates will not be the only things people vote on this Election Day. The ballot also includes several state and county level issues people will vote either “for” or “against.” 

There are four state level initiatives. On the county level, there is one municipal issue, six school issues and the library tax cut initiative.

Issue No. 1 is a state constitutional amendment. It would allow the general assembly to call itself into a special session should the Speaker of the House and the president pro tempore jointly issue a summons, or by a proclamation signed by two-thirds of the members of each chamber. 

Currently, only the governor can call a special session. 

“We wanted to ensure through (the initiative) that special sessions remain special by requiring a higher threshold to allow the legislature to call itself into special session,” said state Sen. Breanne Davis (R), who sponsored the amendment, in a Ballotpedia article. “We also wanted to ensure that the legislative branch had the ability to call itself into a special session if necessary.”

Issue No. 2 would change the requirements for a ballot measure to pass from a simple majority (50% plus one) to a three-fifths, or 60%, supermajority. A supermajority vote would be required for constitutional amendments and citizen-initiated state statutes. 

The simple majority requirement would stay in place for veto referendums, which are citizen-initiated measures that ask voters to uphold or appeal a law passed by the state legislature. The measure was sponsored by state Rep. David Ray (R).

Issue No. 3 would amend the state constitution so as to ensure that the government cannot impede on a person’s freedom of religion, unless the government can show compelling interest to do so using the least restrictive means.

The amendment would be called the “Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment.” It is modeled after the United States Religious Freedom Restoration Act. 

The amendment was sponsored by state Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R), who told Arkansas Online the measure would “provide a stronger protection for religious freedom because it would only have to be proven that the government was burdening religious liberty, not that it was a substantial burden.”

Issue No. 4 would legalize marijuana for people 21 years and older and authorize its commercial sale with a sales tax of 10%. Fifteen percent of that revenue would be used to fund an annual stipend for full-time police officers certified by the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training who are in good standing.

The measure would allow adults to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and allow businesses with medical marijuana licenses to sell the drug for recreation, as well as open one additional location only for commercial sale. 

Issue No. 4 is sponsored by Responsible Growth Arkansas. 

In Craighead County, voters will vote for or against electing Brookland city council members to four year staggered terms.

There are also six school tax levy issues on the ballot relating to Buffalo Island Central School District, Brookland School District, Jonesboro Public Schools, Nettleton School District, Valley View School District and Westside School District. The measures would include a 25 mil tax on all taxable property to be used for maintenance and operation of each district. 

A mil is defined as $1 per every $1,000 of assessed value. 

Each school has its own unique tax levy. Buffalo Island has a levy of 40 mil, Brookland 39 mil, Jonesboro 33.1 mil, Nettleton 38.95 mil, Valley View 42.5 mil and Westside with a 34.42 mil levy. 

After the 25 mil for maintenance and operation is subtracted from the total levy, the remaining funds are to be used for reducing indebtedness. Any surplus revenues generated by the millage are to be used by the districts for “other school purposes.”

The final local initiative is a petition to decrease the Craighead County Public Library’s operating costs from 2 mil to 1 mil. 

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