Issue 1 will extend county office terms; Issue 2 will allow governor to retain authority when out of state

Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery faced a problem when he was asked to run for sheriff more than 13 years ago. He had a strong desire to serve, but didn’t know if he wanted to deal with the hassle of running for office every other year. He ultimately won the job, and has for several years attempted to get Issue 1 on the November general election ballot.

Issue 1 would lengthen county elected officials terms from two to four years; it will prevent certain elected officials from being appointed or elected to a civil office; allow unopposed candidates to be elected without their name appearing on the ballot; and clearly define “infamous crimes,” ones that would stop an officer seeker from holding county elected office, according to the University of Arkansas Extension Office.

“When you’re running every other year it’s very disruptive … when I explain it to most voters it seems to make sense,” Montgomery told Talk Business & Politics.

Opponents argue county elected officials are more accountable because they face the voters every two years. Removing unopposed candidate names decreases public awareness about who holds elected office, and omitting a candidate’s name deprives voters of the chance to vote for a candidate. Opponents also argue “infamous crimes” should be considered on a case by case basis.

Montgomery is the chairman of Coalition for Arkansas Election Reform, a group that tried in the past to get Issue 1 on the ballot, but failed eight years ago to get enough signatures to place the issue before the voters. The grass roots effort started a statewide dialogue, and it compelled the Arkansas General Assembly to place the issue on the ballot, one of three referred ballot initiatives.

The Baxter County Sheriff and his allies may face a daunting fight. A recent Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College poll showed that 42.5% of likely voters oppose Issue 1, while only 29% are for it. Another 28.5% are undecided.

Arkansas and New Hampshire are the only two states that require county sheriffs to run for office every two years, Montgomery said. It’s difficult, especially for newly elected county officials, to implement their plans and designs for elective office when 10 months later they have to announce for re-election and start campaigning again, he said. It’s a wasteful process that eats up time and taxpayer dollars.

“How can a voter determine if an elected official is doing a good job or not in such a short time span?” he asked rhetorically.

If terms are expanded it might attract better candidates to these offices, he said. Office workers could also be at ease because they won’t have to worry every other year if they’ll lose their job, he said.

Issue 2 will allow the governor to retain his authority even when traveling out of state. Amendment 6 of the Arkansas constitution transfers the governor’s powers to the lieutenant governor when he/she is out of state. This would amend that clause.

Proponents argue modern technology (smart phones, computers, etc.,) keep the governor connected to the state, and make it possible to continue to conduct state business, according to the Extension Service. Opponents argue it will reduce the lieutenant governor’s role, and it could create ambiguity about who is in charge if the governor becomes inaccessible.