Arkansas Supreme Court on abortion

The Arkansas Supreme Court has ordered Secretary of State John Thurston to count signatures collected by volunteer canvassers for a proposed abortion rights amendment, with a deadline set for Monday morning. This decision follows Thurston's rejection of more than 101,000 signatures submitted by Arkansans for Limited Government due to alleged missing paperwork regarding paid canvassers. The ruling, however, does not address the fate of signatures collected by paid canvassers, which could jeopardize the amendment's eligibility for the ballot if they are excluded. Organizers claim that without the paid signatures, they may fall short of the required 90,704 valid signatures from registered voters. The court's order reflects a commitment to uphold democratic participation, as emphasized by the group in their statement. The case remains contentious, with the Attorney General's office reviewing the situation and urging compliance with state regulations.