Since organizing the Voters Not Politicians 2018 ballot initiative that put citizens in charge of drawing Michigan's legislative maps, Fahey has been the founding executive director of The People, which is forming statewide networks to promote government accountability. She regularly interviews colleagues in the world of democracy reform for our Opinion section.
Bonnie Miller is known for her activism in democracy reform in Arkansas and is the current president of the League of Women Voters of Arkansas and chair of Save AR Democracy, a campaign to protect ballot initiatives in Arkansas. In 2020, Miller led the Arkansas Voters First campaign, which garnered significant support but was eventually struck down by the Arkansas Supreme Court. She continues to lead the fight for a better democracy in her state while also working in higher education at the University of Arkansas School of Law.
Our conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Fahey: Tell us about your background. What led you to get involved with democracy reform?
Miller: I got involved in democracy reform in 2018 after I attended a local League of Women Voters’ program about gerrymandering and a possible solution—an independent redistricting commission. I was never the same—I was empowered(!!) and ready to get to work. I joined the local LWV chapter, and in 2020, I chaired Arkansas Voters First, a statewide ballot measure campaign to create fair maps through an independent commission. I never looked back!
Fahey: Your state’s ballot initiative process has been under attack from the legislature and the courts. Can you tell us about the history of these attacks, and how are you fighting back?
Miller: Because of recent ballot measures successes (minimum wage, medical cannabis) and near successes (independent redistricting, ranked choice voting), the General Assembly has enacted numerous laws that severely restrict the initiative process to the point where it is nearly impossible to qualify a measure for the ballot. We are fighting back in two ways: First, we have filed two lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of most of the onerous laws, and we have drafted and are currently collecting signatures on a constitutional amendment (the nation’s first!) to save and protect the initiative process in Arkansas.
Fahey: Tell us about the changes you are currently fighting for: What ballot initiatives are you currently working on, and what stage are you at in the process?
Miller: Right now, we’re solely focused on protecting direct democracy in Arkansas. Without the process, the people won’t have the ability to pass policies that our legislature refuses to address. After our redistricting measure was disqualified in 2020 due to a statute subsequently declared unconstitutional, we knew we needed to shift from defense to offense. We developed a two-pronged approach to save and protect the process. We spent years working with local and national stakeholders, experts, and legal counsel to not only protect the process moving forward but to challenge those statutes we believed to be unconstitutional. We’re proud to be the first campaign in the country to launch a proactive, direct democracy amendment—a ballot measure for ballot measures, as we call it. We are currently collecting signatures across the state and have until July 3, 2026, to submit 90,704 signatures from registered voters.
Fahey: Who are the main opponents of your effort, and what are their arguments against it?
Miller: The main opponents are politicians who believe the people should not have the right to participate in direct democracy. They argue that the process needs to be shielded from “special interests,” but what they’re doing is ensuring that ONLY special interests can afford to participate under our current laws. This is not unique to Arkansas—this is a nationwide effort to systemically dismantle the initiative and referendum process in the states that have it.
Fahey: What do you think your campaign needs to do to be successful in November 2026?
Miller: Honestly, the support is there. We just need to qualify for the ballot by submitting the requisite number of signatures. We’re confident our measure will pass by an overwhelming majority if it makes the ballot.
And money, of course! :) We’re running an all-volunteer statewide campaign, and printing and circulating petitions is a costly endeavor—one that gets more and more expensive every cycle as our legislature continues to pass burdensome, unconstitutional laws.
Fahey: Are you finding that your campaign is resonating with AR voters?
Absolutely! Perhaps even more so than we anticipated. We know folks understand the basic premise of the problem, but at the end of the day, this is also a constitutional amendment about a process, and it’s pretty technical and in the weeds. We’ve been blown away by the level of engagement from folks around the policy details—they absolutely get it and are even lining up to sign our petition despite the additional hurdles added by our legislature.
Fahey: What are some of the best practices and lessons you have learned from past successes in ballot initiatives?
Miller: Start early!! Haha, but seriously, start as early as you can. And of course, work with a lawyer. Work with multiple lawyers. Money spent on protecting and insulating your measure from guaranteed challenges is never wasted.
Fahey: What do you currently need the most help with, and how can people get involved?
Miller: We need volunteers, and we have a place for everyone. If you want to help, we can use you! For folks outside of Arkansas looking to help with our effort, you can do a lot by helping to spread the word about our campaign. Find us on social media, subscribe to our newsletter, share our content so it gets in front of as many people as possible. And of course, if you can donate, even $5, that is a TREMENDOUS help. Our campaign is fueled by small donor donations and our volunteers. Head to SaveARDemocracy.org for more information. This is an all-hands-on-deck situation. Our future is at stake.
Fahey: If you were speaking with a high school student or a new immigrant to our country, how would you describe what being an American means to you?
Miller: Being an American to me means being part of one of the most historic and profound coalitions to have ever existed. We always talk about the importance of people-powered coalitions to the success of direct democracy, and that’s true when you zoom out as well. America, our country, IS a coalition—a diverse coalition with many competing interests, and at the end of the day, we are bound together through our commitment to democracy and each other. So while we’re navigating unchartered waters, it’s important to remember how successful we’ve been in holding onto this wonderfully messy and complicated coalition—we NEED to remember that we’ve been down before but never out. We’re still doing the work of democracy, and in America, that includes everyone.
