Oklahoma Bills to Ease Ballot Access for Initiatives

Oklahoma Representative John Montgomery (R-Lawton) has introduced HB 1159, which expands the amount of time for initiative proponents to circulate their petition from 90 days to 150 days.

Oklahoma Senator David Holt (R-Oklahoma City) has introduced SJR 13, to lower the number of signatures for statewide initiatives. Currently, initiatives to change the State Constitution need 15% of the last gubernatorial vote, and statutory initiatives need 8%. The bill would lower those to 10% and 2%. If the bill passed, Oklahoma would have the nation’s easiest statewide initiative for making statute changes. Currently Massachusetts has the easiest, 3% of the last gubernatorial vote. SJR 13, even if passed by the legislature, would not go into effect until after the voters had approved it. Thanks to E. Zachary Knight for this news.


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