Arkansas ballot measure · November 3, 2026
Arkansas Issue 1, explained
Citizens Only Voting Amendment. A ballot measure is a yes-or-no question put directly to voters — no candidate is involved, and the wording on the ballot is the wording that becomes law. This page shows that wording first, then what it actually changes.
The official wording
Popular Name: A Constitutional Amendment to be Known as "The Citizens Only Voting Amendment" and Providing That Only a Citizen of the United States Meeting the Qualifications of an Elector Under the Arkansas Constitution May Vote in an Election in this State. Ballot Title: AN AMENDMENT TO THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION TO CREATE "THE CITIZENS ONLY VOTING AMENDMENT"; TO PROVIDE THAT ONLY A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES MEETING THE QUALIFICATIONS OF AN ELECTOR UNDER THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION MAY VOTE IN AN ELECTION IN THIS STATE; AND PROVIDING THAT A PERSON WHO DOES NOT MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS OF AN ELECTOR UNDER THE ARKANSAS CONSTITUTION SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO VOTE IN ANY STATE OR LOCAL ELECTION HELD IN THIS STATE.
This is what appears on the ballot. Everything below explains it.
What it actually means
Article 3 of the Arkansas Constitution now says any person may vote who is a U.S. citizen, an Arkansas resident, at least 18 and lawfully registered. This amendment rewrites the opening so it reads that only a citizen meeting those qualifications may vote, and adds that anyone who does not meet them may not vote in any state or local election. The four qualifications themselves, including citizenship, do not change.
If you vote YES
- Article 3, § 1 would begin "Only a citizen of the United States meeting the qualifications of an elector under this section may vote in an election in this state," and would add that a person who does not meet those qualifications may not vote in any state or local election.
- The existing four qualifications — U.S. citizenship, Arkansas residency, age 18 or older, and lawful registration — would stay exactly as they are, as would the photo identification requirements in the same section.
- The restriction would sit in the constitution, so a city or county could not extend local voting to noncitizens and the legislature could not do so by statute.
- Arkansas would join the states that have adopted this "only a citizen" formulation since 2018; similar measures are on the 2026 ballot in Alaska, Kansas and South Dakota.
If you vote NO
- Article 3, § 1 would keep its current wording, under which a person may vote who is a U.S. citizen, an Arkansas resident, 18 or older and lawfully registered.
- U.S. citizenship would remain a requirement to vote in Arkansas, and federal law would continue to bar noncitizen voting in federal elections.
- No Arkansas city or county currently allows noncitizens to vote, and none would begin to as a result of a "no" vote; the question is whether to close the possibility in the constitution.
Why supporters say YES
The current wording protects citizens but does not exclude anyone else: "[Existing language] protects your right and my right as a citizen, but it's insufficient because it leaves room for other people to be added to that list."
— State Rep. David Ray (R-Maumelle), who filed the amendment as HJR 1018
Why opponents say NO
The measure addresses something that does not happen: "Immigrants do not want to break the law, especially in this manner, because if they're in line for citizenship, this will totally erase that."
— State Rep. Diana Gonzales Worthen (D-Springdale)
What’s genuinely uncertain
- As of August 20, 2026 no committee had registered with the Arkansas Ethics Commission either to support or to oppose Issue 1, so there is no organised campaign on either side and the arguments above come from legislators.
- Whether the amendment changes anything in practice is disputed: citizenship is already required, and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's guide notes the four existing qualifications would remain unchanged.
- No fiscal impact statement for Issue 1 was located.
The bottom line
Whether to put an explicit "only citizens may vote" rule into the Arkansas Constitution, closing the door to any future local or statutory change; its sponsor says the present wording leaves room to add others, an opposing legislator says noncitizen voting is not happening and the amendment answers a problem the state does not have.
One neutral sentence describing the tradeoff — not a recommendation.
Checking it against the official text
The Arkansas Secretary of State publishes the certified measures and, in most states, an official voter guide with fiscal notes. That is the authoritative version. Everything here is an explanation of it, not a substitute for it.
Confirm this with the official source
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Arkansas Secretary of State.
Other measures on the Arkansas ballot
Candidates on the same ballot
- U.S. Senate election in Arkansas
- Arkansas governor's race
- Arkansas's 1st congressional district
- Arkansas's 2nd congressional district
- Arkansas's 3rd congressional district
- Arkansas's 4th congressional district