Clerks in Saline and Craighead counties are working to verify signatures on petitions to put the issue of alcohol sales on county ballots in November.
Neither county allows the sale of alcohol except in private clubs.
A group called Our Community, Our Dollars -- which is supported by Wal-Mart, Kum & Go and other retailers -- submitted 25,917 signatures in Saline County and 20,956 in Craighead County.
The clerks expect to take until at least early next week to verify that the signatures belong to registered voters in each county.
"We've hired extra people to come in, and we'll be working Saturday also," said Saline County Clerk Doug Curtis.
If the number of verified signatures meets the threshold, 38 percent of registered voters, the issue will be put on the ballots for the November election.
An official representing Our Community, Our Dollars said the organization believes that allowing alcohol sales in the county will produce economic benefits.
"Right now, the counties that are dry are losing a lot of sales tax revenue to the surrounding counties," said Natalie Ghidotti of Ghidotti Communications, a marketing firm hired by the organization.
Other groups have formed to oppose the sale of alcohol in the counties.
Jonesboro resident Jason Willett helped form a group called Craighead Pride. He said there has been significant growth in the county in recent years and that alcohol sales are not needed.
"Craighead County has grown over the last 20 years by being the way we are," he said.
Willett said the group also worries that allowing alcohol sales will negatively affect the quality of life for Craighead County residents.
Another group organized in Craighead County, Local Citizens for Safety and Prosperity, has similar concerns.
"The more access you have to alcohol, there's going to be an increase in crime," said Chairman Brian Richardson.
Local Citizens for Safety has received more than $42,000 from companies that own liquor stores in Poinsett and Greene counties, which border Craighead County, according to a report filed with the Arkansas Ethics Commission on June 13.
Craighead Pride has not yet filed any financial reports with the commission.
Willett and Richardson said they don't think residents want the law to change.
"There's no local organization pushing for Jonesboro to go 'wet,'" Willett said. "It's all Wal-Mart, and it's all about beer sales."
Ghidotti said Our Community, Our Dollars does have local support, especially from employees of the Wal-Mart and Kum & Go stores.
Our Community, Our Dollars is also working to collect signatures in Faulkner County.
Efforts were delayed because of damage from an April tornado, so workers are pushing to garner the required number of signatures by Aug. 5, Ghidotti said.
An opposition group has also formed there -- the They Win, You Lose Committee.
Mary Dillard, chairman of the committee, said allowing alcohol sales would have especially negative effects in a college town like Conway.
"In a college town, cheap, easily accessible liquor contributes to underaged drinking, binge drinking and other things on campus that are a big problem," she said.
Dillard said the committee is supported by the Conway County Legal Beverage Association. Conway County, which borders Faulkner County, allows alcohol sales except in Cedar Falls, Austin and Howard townships, according to the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Division.
Metro on 07/09/2014