The rejection came after canvassers delivered over 101,000 signatures to state offices in support of the initiative.

The Secretary of State, John Thurston, stated in a letter that he would reject the canvassers' attempt to appear on the November ballot due to their failure to submit sworn statements by paid canvassers as required. Thurston emphasized that other sponsors of initiative petitions had complied with this requirement, leading to the rejection of the submission.

Moreover, Thurston emphasized that even if the sworn statement requirement had been fulfilled, he would have still rejected the signatures collected. Out of the 101,525 signatures submitted, 14,143 were obtained by paid canvassers. The exclusion of these signatures left campaigners 3,322 short of what is required to be included on the fall ballot.

Republicans in the state welcomed the rejection, with Arkansas state senator Ben Gilmore stating, "Today is a great day for life in Arkansas. Life is the most basic God-given human right, and Arkansas will continue to protect the lives of our unborn children."

However, Arkansans for Limited Government (AFLG), who are reproductive rights canvassers in the state, criticized the disqualification as "ridiculous." They claimed to have worked with the secretary's office at multiple junctures and deemed the requirement for sworn statements as an "unfounded legal interpretation." AFLG expressed their resolve to fight against this disqualification attempt, stating that they will not back down.

The proposed ballot measure sought to ask voters to allow abortions up to 20 weeks' gestation and later in cases of rape or incest, life-threatening conditions for women, or when a fetus is unlikely to survive. Currently, Arkansas bans abortion at conception, impacting approximately 668,000 women of reproductive age. Despite allowing abortions in medical emergencies, the state department of health reported zero abortions in 2023.

Recent polls indicate increasing support for abortion rights since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that provided constitutional protection for abortion rights. Prior to the court's decision, abortion restrictions were seen as a strength for the Republican party, rallying conservative voters. However, with the court's shift and the subsequent enactment of near-total abortion bans in 14 states, public sentiment has shifted in favor of abortion rights.

Nevertheless, the ballot measure in Arkansas faced an uphill battle. Polls revealed that the state is one of only five where a minority of voters (46%) believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. As the debate over reproductive rights continues, Arkansans and advocates on both sides of the issue will closely watch the developments surrounding this rejected initiative.