Arkansas Supreme Court boots casino gambling measure on ballot
By: Nancy Cook
Updated: October 24, 2012
The Arkansas Supreme Court today rejected a proposed ballot measure that would have allowed casino gambling in Miller County, along with Pulaski, Franklin and Crittenden Counties.
Professional poker player Nancy Todd's proposed constitutional amendment sought exclusive rights to run casinos in four Arkansas counties will appear on the November ballot, but any votes cast for or against it will not count.
In September, the Secretary of State's Office verified 95,687 signatures in favor of the Nancy Todd Poker Palace Initiative - enough to get the measure on the ballot.
However, election officials determined the ballot measure failed to tell voters that in addition to allowing casinos in the four counties, it didn't tell voters it would prohibit electronic gambling at a horse track in Hot Springs and a dog track in West Memphis.
The justices high court ruled in favor of Arkansas Racing Alliance, and that the signatures were invalid because they said Todd revised the wording of her proposal after gathering them.
