As our columnist Steve Brawner notes today, independent voters in the state got a huge legal victory last week in a ruling by Federal Judge Kristine Baker. She found for the Libertarian Party of Arkansas, overturning Act 164 of the 2019 Arkansas Legislature. The act, pushed by Arkansas Republicans, adopted a series of oppressive measures designed to impede access to Arkansas ballots by minor political parties. These included almost doubling the number of signatures third parties had to collect on petitions asking for ballot access and shortened time for petition drives. It also placed limitations on how third parties could select their candidates. The Republicans have fought the Libertarian Party lawsuit tooth and nail, although almost every independent survey on the topic shows that Arkansans, and Americans generally, want viable voting alternatives to both the Republican and Democratic parties. Baker’s ruling won’t exactly make Arkansas electoral politics a fair fight, but it will make it a little less unfair for new parties across the political spectrum. One lesson is clear. The state has no compelling interest in limiting the number of political parties that want to put their candidates and platforms before the public.
The next great thing that should be ahead for Arkansas is ranked voting, which is also known as “instant primaries.” The state’s junior senator has been very vocal against ranked voting, which automatically qualifies it as a great idea.
We’ve been on a science fiction kick lately at Reporter Mansion, which leads to our new poll question dealing with your thoughts about extraterrestrial beings. One of our responses harkens to a comment by one of our favorite comedians, who suggests that aliens regard Earth as a place to be avoided.
Updated overnight was our article about this week’s Columbia County criminal docket. There have been several late additions to the docket. CLICK HERE to see the story.
The saddest meme of the day: I hate it when I see an old person and then realize we went to high school together.
Brad Smiley, head coach of the SAU football team, will speak to the Rotary Club of Magnolia during its meeting at noon Thursday in the Cal Partee Room of Cadence Bank.
Cadence Bank, formerly BancorpSouth, has begun its rebranding work essential to change its corporate identity.
Such power exists.
Elsewhere on the website today is a report on plans to build a 2,100-acre solar power facility near Osceola. That’s huge. It can provide power to 40,000 homes. CLICK HERE to see the story. We’re frankly mystified by some of our friends who keep posting nonsense in opposition to electric-powered vehicles and solar power. It is self-evident that the continued use of fossil fuels for transportation is a bad idea — something to be curbed at any rate, and certainly not to be actively encouraged.
A year ago, we reported that the Magnolia School Board was considering the construction of a new first- and second-grade building. CLICK HERE to see the story.
Mike McNeill is publisher and editor of magnoliareporter.com. Email him at news@magnoliareporter.com or call him at 870-904-3865. “The universe grows smaller every day, and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all, or no one is secure. Now this does not mean giving up any freedom, except the freedom to act irresponsibly.” – Mr. Carpenter
