State Sen. Joyce Elliott (D-Little Rock) eyes a speaker during a meeting of the Arkansas Legislative Council Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, in the Big Mac Building on the grounds of the state Capitol. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate-12.16.2022)
Joyce Elliott, a former Arkansas state senator and prominent civil rights advocate, suffered a stroke this week while in Dallas, according to Get Loud Arkansas, her voter advocacy nonprofit.
“The [Get Loud Arkansas] team truly appreciates everyone who has reached out to show support and love for Senator Elliott,” nonprofit leadership said in a statement on Thursday. “She is a fighter, and her dedication to a just and equitable democracy propels us forward.”
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Elliott, 73, received two days of treatment in Texas before she was transferred to Little Rock, where she is now receiving care close to home. She has undergone a successful surgery, though doctors have not “made any determinations about her long-term prognosis,” according to Get Loud.
She is expected to begin a rehabilitation program when she is able.
“The next week is critical,” according to Get Loud. “We respectfully ask that you honor her family’s request for much needed privacy and refrain from calls or visits at this time. We will issue another statement in the upcoming days. In the interim, we humbly ask for your prayers.”
In the short time since the announcement of Elliott’s stroke, political figures from both parties have expressed their respect and well wishes in statements online.
“The entire state should lift up Senator Joyce Elliott,” Democratic Party of Arkansas Chair Grant Tennille said. “Her love of Arkansas and her compassion for its people have motivated thousands to public service and advocacy for decades. We all have a better home because of her selflessness. Today, we are rallying behind her, praying for her health, and respecting her privacy.”
I am deeply saddened to learn that former State Sen. @xjelliott has suffered a stroke. Despite our political differences, I have great respect for her passion as a public servant and her many years of service as a teacher. I ask you to join me in praying for her speedy and… pic.twitter.com/pY3LjKb2Or
— Attorney General Tim Griffin (@AGTimGriffin) June 27, 2024
Elliott, a Democrat, previously served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007, and in the Arkansas Senate from 2009 to 2023. She is a native of Nevada County and graduate of Southern Arkansas University and Ouachita Baptist University. Elliott is also known as a life-long educator.
She currently serves as the executive director of Get Loud Arkansas, a group that recently sued over an emergency rule requiring “wet signatures” on voter registration applications, which they believe is voter suppression. Elliott was scheduled to lead an Arkansas Times luncheon Friday to discuss the history of voter suppression in Arkansas; the event has been canceled.
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