Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston announced that the initiative to expand medical marijuana access, known as Issue 3, failed to meet the required signatures to be placed on the November ballot. Arkansans for Patient Access, the group behind the initiative, fell short by 2,664 valid signatures, despite submitting over 150,000 from all counties. The group claims that approximately 20,000 valid signatures were excluded due to an 'arbitrary, last-minute clerical rule change' and plans to challenge the decision in court, arguing that the disqualification is politically motivated. The Secretary of State's office requires canvasser certification documents to be signed by the amendment's sponsor, not a representative from a canvassing company, which led to the exclusion of some signatures. This ruling mirrors a similar issue affecting another amendment earlier this election cycle. The group's legal challenge will seek to ensure that Arkansans have the opportunity to vote on the measure.