“Arkansans for Limited Government” submitted roughly 101,000 signatures. The Secretary of State’s Office says about 87,000 of those signatures were collected by volunteer canvassers, and those signatures will count toward the nearly 91,000 requirement.

However, the 14,000 thousand collected by paid canvassers won’t count. The secretary of state cited a lack of necessary paperwork submitted along with the signatures, prompting the lawsuit from “Arkansans for Limited Government,” which says it did submit the proper paperwork.

The Arkansas Supreme Court is now left to decide officially what happens to the 14,000 signatures from the paid canvassers.

The decision is expected sooner rather than later.

“I would say within a matter of days because the final ballots have to go out in mid-to-late August,” Silverstein said. “Around Aug. 20, I believe. And so, I think the court will rule within days after the final brief is submitted.”

Speaking of a brief, each side is required to submit a brief to the Supreme Court by this Friday, Aug. 2. Then, each side is required to submit a response to the other side’s brief by the following Friday, Aug. 9. That would allow for the Supreme Court to issue its ruling.