State Questions Require a 51% Vote to Be Approved or Denied
Video Transcribed: So, how does a state question become law? I am Tulsa Medical Marijuana Attorney Ope Adegbuyi.
And in my last video, we talked about what a state question is. And so, in this video, we’re talking about how a state question becomes law. And I’m focusing on the initiative petition because section or Question 820 is an initiative petition.
So, petitioners must file initiative language on a ballot title with the secretary of state and attorney general and often survive several legal challenges. Then organizers have 90 days to gather hundreds and thousands of signatures.
In Oklahoma, the signature requirement for initiative petitions to appear on the ballot must equal 8% of the number of votes cast for governor in the last election.
Once signatures have been verified and published by the secretary of state, following that publication, there’s a 10-day waiting period where citizens or anyone else can challenge that initiative petition, either based on the signature count or the ballot title. And then, after that waiting period, the 10-day waiting period, the Oklahoma Supreme Court will decide when the state question will appear on the ballot.
In Oklahoma, each ballot measure requires only a simple majority of votes, 51%, for that ballot to be voted for or against. The ballot measures would take effect upon approval of voters. So, for example, if 51% of people vote yes on the ballot, that ballot would become law.
So, for more information, you can contact me at oklahomamedicalmarijuana.attorney.