Arkansas voters won’t get to weigh in on a ballot initiative to expand medical marijuana after the state Supreme Court ruled the measure didn’t fully explain what it would do, tossing out the initiative just two weeks before the election.
It’s too late to remove the measure from the ballot — early voting began Monday — so the court has ordered election officials not to count any votes cast on it. The proposed constitutional amendment would have broadened the definition of medical professionals who can certify patients for medical cannabis, expanded qualifying conditions and made medical cannabis cards valid for three years.
Ratfuckery of the highest order.
Interestingly, all 7 justices are white (3 men, 4 women), while Arkansas has roughly 28% of the state who are people of color.
Representation is important.
Desperation by the rapidly dwindling authoritarian party to make people do what the folks in power want. Shame that the courts, with their democratically elected judges for lower circuits, aren’t stuffed full of democratic or progressive thinkers. Maybe this election will show how corrupt and futile it is to do things the authorized way when the authorities keep changing the rules.
Harm the futures of authoritarians.
Time after time when Pro Choice or Recreational Marijuana ballot measures go to voters, they get voted into law.
Conservatives keep showing they aren’t interested in fulfilling the will of the people but instead enforcing their minority opinion on the majority.
It sounds like the state has been trying to stop this vote, but couldn’t.
So they pull this last minute shit after early voting already started, and not only is it not “counting” like it won’t pass, they’re literally not counting the votes so supporters can’t say it already has the votes next time.
This is accurate.
They pulled similar tomfuckery with the abortion amendment ballot initiative.
Yeah, it sucks living here.
