Publication date: February 16, 2023
Written by: Sarah Coffey
The Center for Excellence in Polling recently surveyed Arkansas voters on important issues in the state, and the results clearly indicate strong support among likely voters for reforms that would secure elections, get Arkansans back to work, and protect taxpayer dollars.
There is overwhelming support for greater election security
Arkansas doesn’t want outside parties interfering in their elections. A majority of all likely voters—of all parties—support new measures to make elections more secure (87%). Democrats, Republicans, and Independents support specific reforms that will bring greater transparency and fairness to the elections process:
83%
… of likely voters support prosecuting individuals who interfere with poll watchers doing their jobs, including majorities of Democrats (82%) and Independents (82%).
80%
… support creating a special unit that would investigate and prosecute election law violations. Notably, nearly three-quarters of Democrats (74%) support this measure.
73%
… support requiring all communications from the federal government to state election officials regarding elections be reported to the governor and the state legislature, including a majority of Democrats (63%).
Arkansans also favor requiring the state legislature to vote on election rule changes before they can be implemented (72%) and requiring that the state legislature be notified of any new election funding and vote on whether to accept that new funding (70%).
Reforms that prioritize work are popular
Voters in Arkansas also want to see individuals in their state get off the sidelines and back into the workforce. A majority of Republicans (89%), Democrats (78%), and Independents (84%) support requiring able-bodied adults without young children at home to work, train, or volunteer at least part time as a condition of eligibility for public housing.
However, voters favor preserving unemployment benefits as a temporary measure for those looking for work—they strongly support suspending individuals from benefits if they repeatedly fail to show up for scheduled job interviews (84%).
Arkansans don’t support ESG
Ultimately Arkansas voters strongly oppose investing taxpayer money in banks and investment funds that make business decisions based on their political agenda (71%). Even nearly two-thirds of Democrats oppose this environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria in investing.