Arkansas Issues Poll Summary

Publication date: October 28th, 2024
Written by: Sarah Coffey

The Center for Excellence in Polling recently surveyed likely voters in Arkansas on important issues. Results indicate that voters in The Natural State support reforms that would return Arkansans to work, improve welfare program integrity, bring transparency to school boards, and end the practice of debanking.

Arkansas voters support measures that would help Arkansans return to work

Voters in Arkansas expressed support, regardless of partisanship, for reforms that would help reorient welfare programs to prioritize work and make sure those receiving benefits are eligible.

Some able-bodied adults in Arkansas are required to work, train, or volunteer to qualify for welfare. Three-quarters of likely voters, including majorities of Republicans (77%), Democrats (72%), and Independents (76%), support requiring public agencies to allow individuals to volunteer at the agency to meet the work requirement.

Voters also support measures that would bring more integrity to welfare:

72%

…of likely voters strongly or somewhat support checking eligibility for Medicaid more frequently and with better technology to ensure those receiving benefits are still eligible. Two-thirds of Independents (65%) expressed support for this reform.

70%

…of likely voters strongly or somewhat support cross-checking employment and wage data against welfare rolls at least monthly to ensure that recipients in Arkansas are truly qualified for the programs.

Arkansan voters favor greater transparency in school board elections

Arkansans appear to be united in their support for making school board elections more transparent and more representative of what the community wants. Improving education is not a partisan issue:

81%

…of likely voters strongly or somewhat support term limits for school board members. Republicans (83%) and Democrats (83%) are united in their high support for this reform, with Independents (78%) not far behind.

70%

…of likely voters strongly or somewhat support requiring all school board elections to occur at the same time, rather than at alternating intervals where only some of the positions appear on the ballot in any given election. More Democrats (76%) than Republicans (69%) support this reform.

56%

…of likely voters strongly or somewhat support requiring ballots to include party affiliation for school board candidates. More than half of all Republicans (54%), Democrats (62%), and Independents (52%) are supportive.

Arkansans oppose debanking

Likely voters—especially Independents—oppose the practice of debanking, allowing large banks to deny services to customers based on the customers’ political, social, or religious views. Independents have the strongest opposition at 89 percent, with Republicans (82%) and Democrats (78%) also opposing.

Bottom line

Arkansans across partisan lines expressed support for reforms that would help people return to work, improve integrity in welfare, and make school board elections more transparent, and they broadly oppose debanking. Lawmakers have a significant opportunity to pass well-supported reforms in these and other areas in the coming legislative session.