Opinion ID: 6109968
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Failure to Obtain Sworn-Canvasser Statements

Text: Next, we review the special master's findings that the signatures collected by Courtney McDuffie and Jennifer Norwood should be excluded because they failed to execute a sworn statement before collecting signatures as paid canvassers. The special master noted that both women were registered with the secretary of state as paid canvassers on September 12, 2017. However, McDuffie did not execute a  sworn-canvasser statement until July 2, 2018. The special master noted that a sponsor is required to obtain a criminal-background check within thirty days of the paid canvasser's collecting signatures. Because McDuffie did not execute her sworn statement until almost a year after she was registered with the secretary of state, any background check performed fell well outside the thirty-day statutory period. Likewise, the special master concluded that the signatures collected by Norwood were erroneously counted because she did not execute a sworn statement as required by Ark. Code Ann. § 7-9-601 . Section 7-9-601(d)(3) specifically states: (d) Before obtaining a signature on an initiative or referendum petition as a paid canvasser, the prospective canvasser shall submit in person or by mail to the sponsor: ... (3) A signed statement taken under oath or solemn affirmation stating that the person has not pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to or been found guilty of a criminal felony offense or a violation of the election laws, fraud, forgery, or identification theft in any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, or any other United States protectorate. Ark. Code Ann. § 7-9-601 (d)(3). Subsection 601(b) delineates the background check the sponsor must obtain before a paid canvasser collects signatures: (b)(1) To verify that there are no criminal offenses on record, a sponsor shall obtain, at its cost, from the Department of Arkansas State Police, a current state and federal criminal record search on every paid canvasser to be registered with the Secretary of State. (2) The criminal record search shall be obtained within thirty (30) days before the date that the paid canvasser begins collecting signatures. (3) Upon submission of its list of paid canvassers to the Secretary of State, the sponsor shall certify to the Secretary of State that each paid canvasser in its employ has passed a criminal background check in accordance with this section. .... (5) Signatures incorrectly obtained or submitted under this section shall not be counted by the Secretary of State. Ark. Code Ann. § 7-9-601 (b). Furthermore, subsection (c) defines a paid canvasser as a person who is paid or with whom there is an agreement to pay money or anything of value before or after a signature on an initiative or referendum petition is solicited in exchange for soliciting or obtaining a signature on a petition. Ark. Code Ann. § 7-9-601 (c). In Benca , this court noted that a paid canvasser must be designated before the canvasser collects any signatures. Benca , 2016 Ark. 359 , at 10-11, 500 S.W.3d at 749 . Therefore, once the designation has been made, the sponsor must comply with the statute to obtain valid signatures. Id. The intervenor argues that the sworn statements are not required to be submitted to the secretary of state. See Ark. Code Ann. § 7-9-601 . Therefore, the secretary of state cannot be faulted for failing to invalidate signatures based on information it was not required to collect. Further, the intervenor argues that there is no specific statutory provision that allows the master to invalidate the signatures for failing to obtain a sworn statement. The intervenor is correct that section 7-9-601(d) does not state that a failure to obtain a sworn statement will result in the signatures not being counted. However, if we were to accept the intervenor's argument,  it would mean that the term shall in section 7-9-601(d) would become permissive. As a practical matter, that would leave no remedy for the canvasser's failure to comply with section 7-9-601. To interpret the word shall as permissive would lead to an absurd result, which this court will not do. See Benca , 2016 Ark. 359 , at 7-8, 500 S.W.3d at 748 . Here, the special master's findings were not clearly erroneous. Section 7-6-601(d) specifically states that a prospective canvasser must execute a sworn statement before obtaining a signature as a paid canvasser. Once the requirement has been met, a prospective canvasser may be considered a paid canvasser, and the sponsor is then required to obtain a background check within thirty days before the canvasser begins to collect signatures. The special master noted that the sworn statements were executed well after the background checks had been performed and the canvassers certified to the secretary of state. Therefore, the special master's conclusion that the 1,988 signatures should be excluded was not clearly erroneous.