Arkansas voters will decide on three constitutional amendments on Nov. 3, 2026, referred to the ballot by the state legislature. The amendments would expand the constitutional right to bear arms, require citizenship to vote, and allow the creation of economic development districts.
Right to bear arms amendment
Senate Joint Resolution 11 was sponsored by Sen. John Payton (R-22). It would expand the state’s constitutional right to keep and bear arms to include lawful hunting, recreational use, and other lawful purposes. It would also state that the right is “a natural, fundamental, and individual right that shall not be infringed.” The amendment would prohibit limitations on the possession and use of ammunition, firearm accessories, or firearm components.
Currently, the Arkansas Constitution says, “The citizens of this State shall have the right to keep and bear arms, for their common defense.”
The Senate approved the amendment on April 10 in a vote of 28-7. The House passed it on April 15 in a vote of 86-10. The amendment received 23.8% support from Democratic legislators and 99.1% support from Republican legislators.
Forty-four states have a state constitutional right to keep and bear arms similar to the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The exceptions are California, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York. The most recent state to add a constitutional right to bear arms was Iowa in 2022, where 65% of voters approved the measure.
Citizenship requirement to vote
House Joint Resolution 1018 was sponsored by Rep. David Ray (R-69) and addresses citizenship requirements to vote. Currently, section 1 of Article 3 of the Arkansas Constitution says, “any person may vote in an election in this state” who is a citizen, is at least 18 years old, and is a resident of the state. The amendment would state that “Only a citizen of the United States meeting the qualifications of an elector” may vote in the state and that “A person who does not meet the qualifications of an elector under this section shall not be permitted to vote in any state or local election held in this state.”
The House approved the amendment on April 7 in a vote of 82-6. The Senate passed it on April 14 by a vote of 27-0. The amendment received 33.3% support from Democratic legislators and 100% support from Republican legislators.
The amendment will be the 17th statewide ballot measure related to citizenship voting requirements since 2018. Voters in South Dakota and Kansas will also decide on amendments to create citizenship requirements to vote in 2026.
Between 2018 and 2024, voters decided on 14 statewide ballot measures addressing citizenship requirements for voting. All 14 were approved. Two of the measures—in Colorado and Florida—were placed on the ballot by initiative petitions.
Across the 14 states that voted on such amendments, Republican legislative support averaged 99.67%. Democratic support varied, averaging 42.75%, and ranging from 0% in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin to 100% in Alabama (2020) and Iowa (2024).
Economic development districts
Senate Joint Resolution 15 was sponsored by Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R-18). The amendment would authorize the state legislature to create Economic Development Districts with the power to issue bonds and use public funds to promote economic development, reduce unemployment or underemployment, and support transportation, commerce, and real estate projects. Property within such districts would be exempt from state and local property taxes but subject to taxes or assessments levied by the district.
The Senate approved the amendment on April 14 by a vote of 28-6. The House passed it on April 16 in a 74-21 vote. The measure received 100% support from Democratic legislators and 74.3% support from Republican legislators.
Process for legislative amendments in Arkansas
In Arkansas, a simple majority vote is required in a single legislative session to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. This amounts to at least 51 votes in the House and 18 votes in the Senate, assuming no vacancies. Legislative amendments do not require the governor’s signature to appear on the ballot. The state legislature is limited to referring up to three constitutional amendments to each general election ballot.
In Arkansas, a total of 48 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 2000 and 2022. Thirty-two ballot measures were approved, and 16 ballot measures were defeated.
Additional reading: