Election officials: Ark casinos measure invalid

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - One of two competing proposals to give private businesses a monopoly over casino gambling in Arkansas didn't meet a signature requirement and can't appear on the November ballot, election officials said Wednesday.

Texas businessman Michael Wasserman was pushing to get a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would give him exclusive rights to operate casinos in seven counties in Arkansas. But in a letter, the secretary of state's office told Wasserman that he fell short of a key signature goal in order to make the ballot.

Elections Director Martha Adcock wrote that Wasserman didn't meet a requirement that signatures from at least 15 counties equal at least 5 percent of the votes cast in the last governor's election. Wasserman fell short of that goal in Prairie, Saline and Woodruff counties, Adcock said in the letter, which her office released to the public.

"Therefore, the proposed amendment cannot be placed on the November 6, 2012 general election ballot," she wrote.

Wasserman had turned in 83,772 signatures to the state on Friday, the deadline for submitting petitions for ballot measures. Constitutional amendments require at least 78,133 signatures from registered voters to qualify.

A spokesman for the secretary of state said Wasserman won't have additional time to gather more signatures since he didn't clear the initial count, and he has seven days to challenge the state's decision.

Wasserman, who said he had not seen the letter, said Wednesday that he was surprised and disappointed by the decision, and was unsure what step he would take next.

"We thought we were in compliance with everything," he said. "I really need to have the time to look at it and see where we're at."

Wasserman's measure was one of two competing proposed amendments concerning casinos. The other is from professional poker player Nancy Todd, who submitted signatures Friday for a proposal that would give her exclusive rights to operate casinos in four Arkansas counties. Elections officials were still reviewing those signatures.

Had both measures made the ballot and been approved by voters, only the one that received the most votes would have been enacted since the proposals were conflicting measures.

The casino proposals have faced heavy opposition. The conservative Family Council said it was preparing to campaign against both measures if they made the ballot. A campaign bankrolled by the company that owns Southland Gaming and Racing, the West Memphis dog track, sent thousands of direct mail pieces and flew a banner over a Little Rock music festival urging Arkansas voters to not sign Todd's petitions.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has also said there's a possibility the proposals could shut down operations at Southland and Oaklawn Park horse track in Hot Springs, since neither proposal includes specific exemptions for gambling at the two facilities. Both tracks offer video poker and other electronic games in addition to wagering on races.

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