Arkansas: Preparing for a legal fight over the Pope County casino repeal amendment

Arkansas: Preparing for a legal fight over the Pope County casino repeal amendment

Article brief provided by Arkansas Times
  • Max Brantley, Arkansas Times
July 26, 2022 9:49 PM
  • Max Brantley, Arkansas Times

The secretary of state’s office is still counting signatures on petitions submitted to put constitutional amendments on the ballot, including the Choctaw Nation’s multi-million-dollar effort to nullify the portion of the 2018 amendment that opened the door to a casino in Pope County.

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Should the petitions be certified, the amendment would go to the state Board of Election Commissioners for review, including to judge whether the measures are clear enough for voters to understand. The secretary of state has until Aug. 8 to finish the petition review.

The potential future battle has already been engaged in a letter to the board from Pope County Judge Ben Cross, a supporter of the Cherokee Nation’s so-far successful bid for a license to build a casino in Pope County and give some $40 million in development money to local governments and agencies.