The sponsors of a proposed constitutional amendment that would limit state lawmakers to serving 10 years said Friday that they have collected more than 135,000 signatures of registered voters in their attempt to qualify their measure for the Nov. 6 general election ballot. Thomas Steele of Little Rock, chairman of the Arkansas Term Limits committee, signed an affidavit stating that the committee turned in 135,590 signatures on parts of 19,714 petitions to the secretary of state’s office. To qualify for the ballot, sponsors of constitutional amendments are required to collect 84,859 signatures of registered voters. Friday was the deadline for sponsors of ballot measures to turn in their petitions.
Steele stopped short of predicting that the secretary of state’s office will verify that his group collected enough signatures without needing another 30 days to gather more.
“We think we have gotten enough [signatures] to get us across the finish line and, we feel if we get there, that Arkansas voters are going to probably repeat what they have done in the past. They want term limits,” Steele told reporters after hugging a few supporters and holding back tears of joy.
Full Article: Group submits petitions calling for term limits in state.