Arkansas Supreme Court to fast-track review of Pope County casino ballot question

The Arkansas Supreme Court has decided to accelerate its review of a ballot initiative aimed at removing Pope County as a location eligible for a casino. On Friday afternoon, the court agreed to consider a petition filed on July 31 by the Arkansas Canvassing Compliance Committee (ACCC). 

The petition alleges that Local Voters in Charge, the organization backing the initiative to eliminate Pope County's casino license, has violated Arkansas election laws. The ACCC, supported by Cherokee Nation Entertainment, LLC—the current license holder of the Pope County casino—claims that a significant number of signatures collected to place the initiative on the ballot are invalid. 

Additionally, the petition argues that both the popular name and the ballot title of the initiative are misleading.

To address these issues, the Supreme Court has appointed Eighth Judicial Circuit Judge Randy Wright as a special master to handle any factual disputes arising from the petition. The court has set a timeline for the submission of briefs, starting on August 16, with final replies required by September 26.

The controversy centers around a 2018 voter-approved measure allowing for the establishment of four casinos in Arkansas, including one in Pope County. While the other three casinos have been operational for several years, the Pope County project has faced ongoing legal and political challenges.