|
HJR1027 would direct the election board to add a STATE QUESTION to our next general election ballot. The effect would be to ask the voters to give up more of their constitutional rights and lawmaking powers.
It would require signature gatherers to get support from people who never vote or who have died, or moved to another state while retaining their Oklahoma voting status. It would force tougher thresholds for citizens to gather signatures sufficient to put a state question on future ballots. Signature gatherers would have to spread out to all congressional districts to get at least 8% of the voters (and registered non-voters like Kevin Stitt), in order to put a proposal on the ballot. The idea is said to be an effort by Gov. Stitt, to consolidate more power to his office and away from the grassroots. The argument is that out of state money is driving so many recent initiative petitions. The talking point is that this will block outside influences. Nothing could be farther from the truth. With this change, only big money agendas will succeed in hiring the needed professionals to get signatures. |
Republican legislators say that this constitutional amendment is authored by Speaker McCall, at the governor's request. (this image is a satire meme, not an authentic depiction of an event)
|
|
The 8% threshold will be increased due to the reality that every congressional district needs to surpass 8%. Some districts might get 20% much easier than other districts can get 8%. So a reform like "Right to Farm" which got on the ballot 4 years ago, would have to find a massive number of supporters in metropolitan areas which have very little motivation to act in either side of a proposal.
|
|
