Democrat Activist Seeks Funding After Clash with Election Law
Joyce Elliott, a Democrat activist and former Arkansas state senator, is accusing the state of voter suppression after her group, Get Loud Arkansas!, encountered issues with state election laws. Elliott has launched a GoFundMe page to raise $50,000 to challenge what she believes are restrictive voter registration rules that could disenfranchise Arkansans.
Get Loud Arkansas! was modeled after Stacey Abrams’ Fair Fight in Georgia and organized a protest at the Arkansas State Capitol in response to the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners’ approval of an emergency rule and declaratory order regarding electronic signatures on voter registration forms. The group’s online platform, which allowed voters to complete and sign their voter registration applications digitally, was found to be non-compliant with state laws.
Despite claims of voter suppression from Elliott and her group, the Board of Election Commissioners confirmed that the digital platform was not legally compliant, and county clerks did not have the authority to accept applications from the group. An order was issued stating that registrations with electronic signatures created through third-party software were invalid unless completed with a wet signature or submitted by an identified Registration Agency.
The organization’s contention with the state’s election laws led them to set up a GoFundMe page to potentially sue the state for what they view as restrictive voter registration laws. However, critics argue that Arkansas officials were simply following the law and that leftist groups are finding ways to circumvent election integrity laws.
The Board of Election Commissioners will work to establish a permanent order following public input, emphasizing the importance of upholding the law. The clash highlights a broader trend of exploiting loopholes in election laws, similar to tactics seen with ballot harvesting and private funding of elections. Matt Kittle, a senior elections correspondent for The Federalist, provides insight into this ongoing challenge to election integrity.
