Gennie Diaz on Direct Democracy, Ballot Initiatives & the Fight for Arkansas Voters

Episode notes

Arkansas has a right most people don't think about until it's gone: the power for regular citizens to put laws and constitutional amendments directly on the ballot, without waiting on the legislature. Gennie Diaz, founder and executive director of For AR People, has spent the last two years fighting to protect that right. In this episode, host Andy McNeill talks with Gennie about how her organization got its start holding local government accountable, what it actually takes to collect over 100,000 signatures for a constitutional amendment, and what happened when that amendment was rejected by the Secretary of State after 18 months of work. She and Andy also dig into unchecked power in a one-party legislature, local control, and why she believes this fight is far from over. In this conversation: How Arkansas's citizen ballot initiative process works The founding story of For AR People What it took to collect 100,000+ signatures Why the amendment was ultimately rejected What's next for direct democracy in Arkansas If you've ever wondered how much power citizens actually have in this state, this conversation will change how you think about your ballot.