Arkansas residents collect signatures for casino vote

The group aims to block plans for a casino in Pope County.

US.- Arkansas citizens group Local Voters in Charge have said they have collected more signatures to require a referendum that could block casino gambling in Pope County. They want to eliminate the possibility from Amendment 100, which was approved by Arkansas voters in 2018.

Proposed amendments need a minimum number of signatures from at least 50 of Arkansas’ 75 counties. The group said it surpassed the 90,704-voter signature requirement and met the minimum threshold in all 75 Arkansas counties, submitting more than 162,000 signatures to the office of secretary of state John Thurston.

The Arkansas Racing Commission awarded the Pope County casino licence to Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE) in July.