In a 6-1 ruling, justices rejected a lawsuit that claimed the proposed constitutional amendment was “riddled with errors.” A state panel this year issued the license to Cherokee Nation Entertainment to build the casino in Pope County.
Cherokee Nation Entertainment and an affiliated group, the Arkansas Canvassing Compliance Committee, filed a lawsuit challenging the measure. The court on Monday rejected the first part of the lawsuit that claimed the group behind the measure violated several signature gathering laws.
In Thursday's ruling, justices rejected arguments that there were several flaws with the measure. The lawsuit claimed that, among other things, it was misleading to voters.
“In sum, we hold that the popular name and ballot title are an intelligible, honest, and impartial means of presenting the proposed amendment to the people for their consideration,” Justice Karen Baker wrote in the majority opinion. “We hold that it is an adequate and fair representation without misleading tendencies or partisan coloring.”
Supporters of the amendment said they were pleased with the ruling.
"Issue 2 keeps casinos from being forced on communities that vote against them,” Hans Stiritz, spokesperson for Local Voters in Charge, the campaign for the amendment, said in a statement. “We’re grateful for the Arkansas Supreme Court’s final decision to affirm the certification of Issue 2, keep it on the ballot, and allow the vote of the people to be counted.”
