Court Opinion

ID: 3259174
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-07-05 16:31:22.623904+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:59:38.561352
License: Public Domain

Mr. Barry Emigh 1720 Arrowhead Road, Apt. O North Little Rock, AR 72118
Dear Mr. Emigh:
This is in response to your request, pursuant to A.C.A. § 7-9-107 (Repl. 1993), for certification of the following popular name and ballot title for a proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution:
 POPULAR NAME  GAMES OF CHANCE AND SKILL AND OFF TRACK PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING AS AN INITIATED COUNTY BALLOT MEASURE
 BALLOT TITLE  AMENDMENT TO PROVIDE ANYONE OR GROUP THE RIGHT TO INITIATE AND PETITION THE LEGAL VOTERS OF A COUNTY WITHIN THE PROVISIONS OF AMENDMENT 7 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS TO ACCEPT OR REJECT BY THE LEGAL VOTERS OF A COUNTY PAY TO PLAY BINGO AND RAFFLES OPERATED BY NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AS A WHOLELY [SIC] SEPARATE INITIATED COUNTY BALLOT MEASURE ON THE REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT, AND THE FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OPERATION OF PAY TO PLAY GAMES OF CHANCE AND SKILL BY HOTELS, MOTELS, AND INNS WITH NO LESS THAN TEN THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF ENCLOSED FLOOR SPACE OF WHICH NO MORE THAN TEN PERCENT OF THE OVER ALL ENCLOSED FLOOR SPACE SHALL BE USED FOR PAY TO PLAY GAMES OF CHANCE AND SKILL BUT SHALL EXCLUDE PAY TO PLAY BINGO AND RAFFLES FROM THE FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OPERATION BY HOTELS, MOTELS, AND INNS AS A WHOLEY [SIC] SEPARATE INITIATED COUNTY BALLOT MEASURE ON THE REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT, AND THE FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OPERATION OF PAY TO PLAY GAMES OF CHANCE AND SKILL ON WATER VESSELS NO LESS THAN ON HUNDRED FEET IN LENGTH ON NAVIGABLE WATER WAYS AND PUBLIC LAKES BUT SHALL EXCLUDE PAY TO PLAY BINGO AND RAFFLES FROM THE FOR PROFIT OPERATION ON WATER VESSELS AS A WHOLELY [SIC] SEPARATE INITIATED COUNTY BALLOT MEASURE ON THE REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT, AND THE FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OPERATION OF OFF TRACK PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING AS A WHOLELY [SIC] SEPARATE INITIATED COUNTY BALLOT MEASURE ON THE REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT.
The Attorney General is required, pursuant to A.C.A. § 7-9-107, to approve and certify the popular name and ballot title of all proposed initiative and referendum acts or amendments before the petitions are circulated for signature. The law provides that the Attorney General may substitute and certify a more suitable and correct popular name and ballot title, if he can do so; or if the proposed popular name and ballot title are sufficiently misleading, he may reject the entire petition.
Section 7-9-107 neither requires nor authorizes this office to make legal determinations concerning the merits of the act or amendment, or concerning the likelihood that it will accomplish its stated objective. Consequently, this review has been limited to a determination, pursuant to the guidelines that have been set forth by the Arkansas Supreme Court, discussed below, of whether the proposed popular name and ballot title accurately and impartially summarize the provisions of your proposed amendment.
The purpose of my review and certification is to ensure that the popular name and ballot title honestly, intelligibly, and fairly set forth the purpose of the proposed amendment. See Arkansas Women's Political Caucusv. Riviere, 282 Ark. 463, 466, 677 S.W.2d 846 (1984).
The popular name is primarily a useful legislative device. Pafford v.Hall, 217 Ark. 734, 233 S.W.2d 72 (1950). It need not contain detailed information or include exceptions that might be required of a ballot title, but it must not be misleading or give partisan coloring to the merit of the proposal. Chaney v. Bryant, 259 Ark. 294, 532 S.W.2d 741
(1976); Moore v. Hall, 229 Ark. 411, 316 S.W.2d 207 (1958). The popular name is to be considered together with the ballot title in determining the ballot title's sufficiency. Id.
The ballot title must include an impartial summary of the proposed amendment that will give the voter a fair understanding of the issues presented. Hoban v. Hall, 229 Ark. 416, 417, 316 S.W.2d 185 (1958); Beckerv. Riviere, 270 Ark. 219, 223, 226, 604 S.W.2d 555 (1980). According to the court, if information omitted from the ballot title is an "essential fact which would give the voter serious ground for reflection, it must be disclosed." Bailey v. McCuen, 318 Ark. 277, 285, 884 S.W.2d 938 (1994), citing Finn v. McCuen, 303 Ark. 418, 798 S.W.2d 34 (1990); Gaines v.McCuen, 296 Ark. 513, 758 S.W.2d 403 (1988); Hoban v. Hall, supra; andWalton v. McDonald, 192 Ark. 1155, 97 S.W.2d 81 (1936). At the same time, however, a ballot title must be brief and concise (see A.C.A. §7-9-107(b)); otherwise voters could run afoul of A.C.A. § 7-5-522's five minute limit in voting booths when other voters are waiting in line.Bailey v. McCuen, supra. The ballot title is not required to be perfect, nor is it reasonable to expect the title to cover or anticipate every possible legal argument the proposed measure might evoke. Plugge v.McCuen, 310 Ark. 654, 841 S.W.2d 139 (1992). The title, however, must be free from any misleading tendency, whether by amplification, omission, or fallacy; it must not be tinged with partisan coloring. Id. A ballot title must convey an intelligible idea of the scope and significance of a proposed change in the law. Christian Civic Action Committee v. McCuen,318 Ark. 241, 884 S.W.2d 605 (1994). It has been stated that the ballot title must be: 1) intelligible, 2) honest, and 3) impartial. Becker v.McCuen, 303 Ark. 482, 798 S.W.2d 71 (1990), citing Leigh v. Hall,232 Ark. 558, 339 S.W.2d 104 (1960).
Having analyzed your proposed amendment, as well as your proposed popular name and ballot title under the above precepts, it is my conclusion that I must reject your proposed ballot title due to an ambiguity in the text
of your proposed measure. A number of additions or changes to your ballot title are, in my view, necessary in order to more fully and correctly summarize your proposal. I cannot, however, at this time, fairly or completely summarize the effect of your proposed measure to the electorate in a popular name or ballot title without the resolution of the ambiguity. I am therefore unable to substitute and certify a more suitable and correct ballot title pursuant to A.C.A. § 7-9-107 (b).
The ambiguity arises under Section (2) of your measure wherein it states in relevant part that:
  [u]pon passage of this amendment those laws, and regulations not included in this amendment, and not provided for by statute and provisions of the law shall be reserved to . . . the legal voters of a county . . ., the General Assembly . . ., and the subdivisions of the state thereof, respectively in accordance to the law without conflict of the law. [Emphasis added.]
I cannot determine the effect of the language emphasized above. Under the current Arkansas Constitution, any general law of the state, that is, any law enacted by the General Assembly, has the effect of repealing any local legislation in conflict therewith. See Ark. Const. amend. 7 (under "LOCAL PETITIONS"). I am uncertain whether this would be changed in any way by Section 2 of your proposed amendment. The phrase "in accordance to the law without conflict of the law" is very confusing. It is unclear to what "law" this is intended to refer. If this provision would have the effect of permitting the county voters and/or the state's subdivisions, i.e., counties and cities, to enact any laws or regulations as long as they are consistent with the proposed amendment, then I believe this should be clearly stated.
My office, in the certification of ballot titles and popular names, does not concern itself with the merits, philosophy, or ideology of proposed measures. I have no constitutional role in the shaping or drafting of such measures. My statutory mandate is embodied only in A.C.A. § 7-9-107
and my duty is to the electorate. I am not your counsel in this matter and cannot advise you as to the substance of your proposal.
At the same time, however, the Arkansas Supreme Court, through its decisions, has placed a practical duty on the Attorney General, in exercising his statutory duty, to include language in a ballot title about the effects of a proposed measure on current law. See, e.g., Finnv. McCuen, 303 Ark. 418, 793 S.W.2d 34 (1990). Where the effects of a proposed measure on current law are unclear or ambiguous, it is impossible for me to perform my statutory duty to the satisfaction of the Arkansas Supreme Court without clarification of the ambiguities.
My statutory duty, under these circumstances, is to reject your proposed ballot title, stating my reasons therefor, and to instruct you to "redesign" the proposed measure and ballot title. See A.C.A. §7-9-107(c). You may, after clarification of the matter discussed above, resubmit your proposed amendment, along with a proposed popular name and ballot title, at your convenience. I anticipate, as noted above, that some changes or additions to your submitted ballot title may be necessary. I will be pleased to perform my statutory duties in this regard in a timely manner after resubmission.
Sincerely,
MARK PRYOR Attorney General