Arkansas voters will decide this November on a constitutional amendment, known as Issue 1, that would emphasize U.S. citizenship as a requirement for voting in the state. The proposal, referred to as 'The Citizens Only Voting Amendment,' was placed on the ballot by the Arkansas General Assembly and appears alongside two other constitutional amendments for the upcoming general election on November 3.
If approved, Issue 1 would amend the Arkansas Constitution to explicitly state that only U.S. citizens who meet existing qualifications may vote in state and local elections. It would also specify that individuals not meeting these qualifications are barred from voting. The measure does not change the current voter qualifications spelled out in the state constitution, such as the citizenship requirement, but adds clarifying language to reinforce these standards.
Rep. David Ray of Maumelle and Sen. John Payton of Wilburn are the legislative sponsors of the proposal. The Arkansas Constitution permits the legislature to refer up to three constitutional amendments to voters during a general election. Both the Arkansas House and Senate approved placing Issue 1 on the 2026 ballot in April 2025.
A 'FOR' vote on Issue 1 supports amending the constitution to explicitly affirm that only U.S. citizens meeting the established qualifications can vote and that others cannot. A vote 'AGAINST' opposes the amendment and leaves the constitutional language unchanged.
Issue 1 requires approval from a majority of voters to be adopted into the Arkansas Constitution.
With the general election swiftly approaching, key dates include October 5 as the deadline to apply for voter registration. Early voting will begin on October 19, culminating in Election Day on November 3.