Arkansas voters on Tuesday night overwhelmingly approved an increase in the state's minimum wage and rejected allowing statewide alcohol sales, unofficial results indicated.
Voters also supported a constitutional amendment that gives legislators final say on new state agency rules, and they narrowly supported two other amendments: one that would ban gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers and extend legislative term limits, and another that would make it more difficult for citizens to get initiatives on the ballot.
Voters widely supported Issue 5 -- the citizen-initiated act that will raise the state minimum wage from $6.25 per hour to $8.50 by January 2017.
With 1,949 of 2,654 precincts reporting, the unofficial results for Issue 5 were:
For 491,335
Against 258,992
Steve Copley -- the head of Give Arkansas a Raise Now, which pushed for the increase -- said he was pleased voters approved the wage increase because it will help minimum-wage workers.
"We're very excited for hard-working Arkansans who will get a raise as a result of this," Copley said. "That means they'll have more money in their pockets and a little bit better chance. They're working hard, and they just can't make ends meet. Hopefully, this will go toward making those ends meet and making life better."
If final results bear out the initiative's success, the state minimum wage would increase to $7.50 per hour on Jan. 1, 2015. It would then increase to $8 per hour on Jan. 1, 2016, and $8.50 per hour on Jan. 1, 2017.
The new minimum wage would apply to nearly all businesses in Arkansas with four or more employees, including those who already are required to pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
Randy Zook, president and chief executive officer of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, said the minimum wage increase will have a "modest" effect on Arkansas businesses.
"The reality is that there are very few jobs in Arkansas where people can hire people at the minimum wage. There's a surprisingly small number at even the federal minimum ... but it will make a difference to some small businesses because they're on such a tight margin," Zook said.
While voters supported the wage increase, they rejected Issue 4, which aimed to allow statewide alcohol sales and in effect turn 37 counties from dry to wet.
With 1,948 of 2,654 precincts reporting, the unofficial results for Issue 4 were:
For 321,880
Against 426,869
Brian Richardson, chairman of Citizens for Local Rights, said he believed voters rejected the amendment because they didn't want to give away local control.
"I think it's a clear sign that people just think that local issues and local rights still matter in Arkansas," Richardson said. "Regardless of how you feel about alcohol, this is really one of the last local rights we have."
David Couch, chairman of Let Arkansas Decide, which supported Issue 4, said the results were indicative of the more than $1 million that opponents of the measure spent to fight it.
"I'm not surprised by the early results given the amount of money the opposition spent compared to what we spent," Couch said.
Voters supported Issue 1, which allows state lawmakers to pass laws giving legislative committees the power to review and approve state agency rules in order for them to go into effect.
With 1,945 of 2,654 precincts reporting, the unofficial results for Issue 1 were:
For 426,004
Against 290,932
State Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, who pushed for Issue 1, said Tuesday evening that he thought the measure appealed to voters who were tired of government rules and regulations that were instituted without legislative input.
"I think it has to do with the overall feeling that we've had some overreach in regards to rules and regulations in the state, whether that be on the environmental side or on business in general," he said.
Dismang noted that he believes legislators will use restraint in the laws they pass to make sure they're not infringing on the powers of the executive branch.
Dr. Tom Nupp, the president of the Arkansas Chapter of The Wildlife Society, said that he was disappointed by the Issue 1 results because legislators could now get involved in decisions that should be left to biologists and scientists at the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality or the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
"We don't know what's going to happen 10 years from now, and it kind of opens up the whole process to political influence," Nupp said.
As votes were tallied Tuesday, Issue 2 and Issue 3 were narrowly supported by voters.
With 1,949 of 2,654 precincts reporting, the unofficial results for Issue 2 were:
For 384,131
Against 335,826
Issue 2 would require sponsors of ballot measures to have 75 percent of signatures validated when they initially turn in petitions before they could qualify for a 30-day period to collect additional signatures if necessary.
State Sen. Bill Sample, R-Hot Springs, who backed Issue 2 in the Legislature, said he believes the amendment will help prevent fraud.
"I think the voters have made the statement that if you're going to turn in a petition, it needs to have valid signatures on it," Sample said.
Jerry Cox, president of the Family Council Action Committee, expressed disappointment with early returns that showed voters favoring Issue 2, calling it a "worrisome trend."
"They have no idea that if Issue 2 passes, it's going to make it more difficult for the little guy to put an issue on the ballot or pass an initiated act. It creates a mechanism for gambling interests and certain business interests to protect their interests."
Issue 3 would ban gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers and state constitutional officers and extend legislative term limits.
With 1,949 of 2,654 precincts reporting, the unofficial results for Issue 3 were:
For 384,686
Against 352,659
Issue 3 would increase the length of time that lawmakers would be allowed to serve in the General Assembly to a maximum of 16 years in the state House of Representatives, the state Senate or a combination of terms in both. Lawmakers are currently limited to six years in the House and eight years in the Senate.
Some senators are able to serve 10 years if they draw a two-year term after winning in the election after once-per-decade redistricting.
Issue 3 also would prohibit direct political contributions from corporations and unions and delay lawmakers' eligibility to register as lobbyists until two years after their legislative terms have ended. The current waiting period is one year.
It also would create a citizens commission to set salaries for lawmakers and other elected officials and make recommendations for per diem and other reimbursements for lawmakers. The Legislature currently handles those tasks.
Kathleen Wikstrom, who filed a lawsuit against Issue 3 and opposed the measure because it included several elements on one question, said she was hopeful late Tuesday that the initiative would fail.
"If Issue 3 ends up getting through, it does seem like it was a trick pulled on the voters," she said.
State Rep. Warwick Sabin, D-Little Rock, who pushed to get the measure on the ballot, said he didn't want to speculate late Tuesday about how it would fare until the results are finalized.
"If this measure passes, the influence of big money on the legislative process will be noticeably diminished," Sabin said.
Information for this article was contributed by Noel Oman and Michael R. Wickline of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
A Section on 11/05/2014