LITTLE ROCK — Television ads opposing two ballot measures in Arkansas are getting drowned out by the blitz surrounding the U.S. Senate race and state-level match-ups, according to a study released Thursday that showed relatively little spending on spots promoting initiative campaigns.
Groups opposing a measure to expand alcohol sales statewide and another that would ease term limits for legislators in exchange for new ethics rules have spent nearly $374,000 to run TV ads about 800 times on Arkansas airwaves, according to the study from the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity. That amounts to 18 cents being spent per eligible voter, the group says.
The spending is paltry compared with the millions that have gone toward thousands of ads running in the heated race between Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor and Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton. The race is crucial to Republicans' efforts to win the six seats needed to claim a majority in the Senate.
Part of the reason for the low ad spending is the uncertainty that has surrounded some of the ballot measures. The state Supreme Court last week rejected an effort to kick the alcohol measure off the ballot, and justices are considering a challenge to another proposal that would gradually raise the state's minimum wage.
"We just really got clear last week on which measures are going to be counted, and I do think there's been some holding back to see what needs to be invested in," said Jay Barth, a political science professor at Hendrix College.
The Center for Public Integrity reviewed data about political advertising on national cable and broadcast television in each of the country's 210 media markets. The organization used research from Kantar Media/CMAG, which tracks political advertising and offers a widely accepted estimate of the money spent to air each spot between Jan. 1, 2013, and Monday.
These figures represent only part of the money spent on political advertising. They do not include the money spent on ads on radio, online and direct mail, nor do the numbers reflect ads that aired on local cable systems. The estimates also do not account for the cost of making the ads.
That means the total cost of spending on political ads is likely significantly higher.
Most of the spending has been by Citizens for Local Rights, a group that is fighting a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize alcohol sales in all 75 Arkansas counties. Currently, 37 counties are dry. The group is primarily backed by liquor stores in wet counties, and sued unsuccessfully to try and remove the measure from the November ballot.
The other spending has been for ads against a proposed constitutional amendment that would place a 16-year limit on serving in the Legislature, a limit that could be applied to either chamber. House members are currently restricted to serving three two-year terms, and senators are limited to two four-year terms. The proposal also calls for new ethics rules for legislators, including restrictions on lobbyist gifts and a ban on corporate campaign donations.
