Voters in Fayetteville have repealed Ordinance 5703, which the city council passed by a 6-2 vote in the early-morning hours of Aug. 20.
The ordinance prohibited discrimination in the workplace or in housing based on veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic background. In a Nov. 24 cover story, Arkansas Business examined how the issue had split the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, which opposed the ordinance, and the city.
According to unofficial results from the Washington County Clerk’s office, the vote was:
- 7,523 for repeal (52 percent)
- 7,040 against repeal (48 percent)
Supporters of the ordinance said it was a great step for Fayetteville to become the first Arkansas city to ban such discrimination. Opponents, who successfully organized a petition to put the ordinance to a recall vote in a special election, said the ordinance was too vague, poorly worded and would hamper business operations.
“We absolutely abhor discrimination,” said Steve Clark, the president and CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. “You should not be fired or not hired because of it. This is about an ordinance that isn’t workable or well defined.”
In a statement issued this morning, the Human Rights Campaign’s Arkansas State Director Kendra R. Johnson called the vote “deeply disappointing.”
“Tonight’s vote is a deeply disappointing reminder that equality doesn’t always move forward in a straight line. Make no mistake about it, tonight’s election results — and the repeal of this ordinance — will inflict direct harm on LGBT Arkansans, their families and their friends,” Johnson said. “But we remain convinced that the progress of fairness will continue despite this result. All Arkansans should have the legal right to live safely within their communities, homes and workplaces, and the day will come soon when LGBT young people will wake up in this state and enjoy true equality under the law. We’ll keep up the fight until that dream is achieved.”