The Oklahoma initiative to improve the ballot access laws hired a paid petitioning company, when it re-launched itself on October 15. The initiative needs 74,117 valid signatures by January 14.
Only 9,000 signatures have been collected, and one-fourth of the permitted time is already gone. The problem is Oklahoma’s law making it illegal for people to circulate initiatives unless they are domiciled in Oklahoma. Although there about 40 skilled circulators who live in Oklahoma, virtually all of them are now working in other states. Although the campaign has hired 200 Oklahoma residents to circulate, they are almost entirely neophytes, and they haven’t been been bringing in enough signatures. There will be a strategy session on November 8 to see if the situation can be turned around.
Does Oklahoma really want to be in the same league as backward, rogue countries? Is there no openness to new ideas there? I just wonder what will happen there if petroleum loses much economic viability in the years ahead.