By PJ Tracy
Murfreesboro Diamond
The effort to present an alcohol sales referendum to voters of Pike County is gearing up in the hope that the second time is the charm.
The same effort presented the issue to voters in 2022, where the measure was defeated by six votes, 1,858-1,852.
According to information provided by the group, they will need to collect a minimum of 2,291 valid petitions (38%) of the 6,028 registered voters in Pike County in order to make the ballot for the 2026 general election this November.
Due to some petitions being thrown out in the confirmation process by the Pike County clerk, the group hopes to collect perhaps an additional 1,000 petitions than what is actually needed.
After successfully getting on the ballot in 2022 right at the deadline, the effort hopes to get local groups in each of Pike County’s communities to aid more in petition collection process.
Anyone with interest in helping the effort is asked to contact Lisa Harvill at (870) 557-1860. Harvill said one of the major obstacles toward the effort will be the loss of volunteers from the 2022 campaign.
Petitions are currently being crafted by a lawyer.
A number of people asked to sign a petition in the 2022 effort felt like they were deceived into participating, so the effort wishes to make it very transparent that the signing of a petition is only for the purposes of getting the issue to the ballot. Signing a petition in no way reflects a “vote” for or against the issue.
The petition will include exactly what will appear on the ballot – including “for” and “against” boxes. But these are only for informational purposes on the petition, and not counted or required for a valid petition toward the 2,291 total.
“We want people to know what they are signing, so there is absolutely no confusion,” said Harvill.
Should an unregistered citizen wish to fill out a petition, they must first register to vote at the Pike County Clerk’s office in Murfreesboro. A voter registration form may be downloaded from www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/elections/ArkansasVoterRegistrationApplication.pdf and mailed to the County Clerk at P.O. Box 218, Murfreesboro, AR 71958.
For any further questions regarding voter registration, contact the Pike County Clerk’s office at (870) 285-2743.
The group said the experience in getting the effort to the ballot four years ago was invaluable toward the process this time around.
For those that would like to aid the effort, but have not the time to do so, monetary donations toward the effort are being accepted at First State Bank in Murfreesboro into the group’s account.
Since the 2022 election, a pair of restaurants in the county have opted for the private club option in order to sell alcohol to customers on site. Additionally, the State of Arkansas began allowing alcohol sales at state parks in dry counties, including the Crater of Diamonds State Park in 2025.
The group also feels there are a number of benefits across Pike County from the additional revenue derived from alcohol sales, including but not limited to better infrastructure, city/county services, greater security against economic downturns, support of local businesses, less dependence on grant funds that may or may not exist in the future and attraction of a larger tourist base.
The group also hammered home the fact that Pike County is losing population and the trend is expected to continue in the future. An effort to regain a grocery store for Murfreesboro found many businessmen unwilling to invest in the area before the saga was finally solved locally earlier this year.
Based on a comprehensive economic development strategy along with the University of Little Rock’s Institute for Economic Advancement, the Pike County Economic Development Commission has stated that Pike County, like much of rural America, is facing the challenge of demographic change while trying to maintain a diverse economic foundation. According to numbers provided by the group, the county had a population of 10,066 in 2021, a 10.8% decline from the 2010 census. Furthermore, the decline is suggested to continue, with projections of 9,661 population by 2027. The group has stated that Pike County stands at a crossroads — the 4% predicted population decline through 2027 will start to affect services, infrastructure and economic vitality. Meanwhile, the aging population will likely increase demands for healthcare services while potentially reducing the available workforce.
Individual communities across the county and the Pike County Economic Development Commission have been looking to find ways to stem the tide from regression via a number of studies and plans. The group seeking to legalize liquor sales in the county feels that the revenue from that effort can be one of the first hurdles toward stabilizing the area’s economy.
As tourism is Murfreesboro’s largest financial boon, the availability to have a nightlife could help attract and retain more tourists in the area.
Regionally, the effort is gaining momentum. Howard County is currently attempting to get a referendum on the 2026 ballot, while Hempstead County tried in 2022. Clark County passed their referendum in 2010. A report from a local television station (KATV, Little Rock) stated that sales tax revenue decreased in Clark County from 2009-2010 by over $28,000, but after the county went wet in 2011 the sales tax increased over $123,000.
