Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform (OBAR) completed its 90 day
initiative petition drive today by turning in about 14,000 signatures
to the Secretary of State. This was below the 74,117 signatures
required, but it demonstrates strong support for expanding the number
of choices on the ballot. Oklahoma's restrictive ballot laws resulted
in it being the only state limited to just two choices for president in
2004.
"We know Oklahoma voters are ready for more choices. Oklahoma Democrats
easily chose from nine presidential candidates in 2004, and Oklahoma
Republicans will have eleven choices on Super Tuesday. Because of
gerrymandered districts, half of state legislative races had only one
candidate in the general election in 2006. Shouldn't Oklahoma voters
have at least two or more choices?" said Joni LeViness, OBAR Chair.
"We collected signatures right when of fears were spread about
citizen initiatives, resulting in many citizens feeling reluctant to
sign any petition. This hostile climate emerged from charges brought
against organizers of a previous petition. It appears that those vested
in the current system fear the initiative process, regardless of the
issue. Initiative petitions allows normal citizens like us to
potentially have a large impact." said Jimmy Cook, OBAR Vice Chairman.
OBAR now hopes to use its resources to persuade the
legislature to improve the laws by hearing already introduced reform
legislation.
"With four ballot access bills introduced in the legislature over the
past decade, we wanted to give Oklahoma citizens a chance to voice
their opinion on restricted voter choice through the initiative
process. We hope the legislature will respond to the wishes of 14,000
Oklahomans who signed our petition, and give House Bill 1359 and Senate
Bill 28 a committee hearing and an up or down vote." said Joni
LeViness.
To form a new political party, Oklahoma law currently requires
signatures equal to 5% of the last presidential or gubernatorial vote,
which meant over 73,000 signatures for 2006. The ballot access reform
initiative would have returned the number of signatures for recognition
of political party back to 5,000; the number required in Oklahoma from
1924 until 1974. This would have made Oklahoma the 30th state to
require 5,000 or fewer signatures for a new political party or
independent presidential candidate.
The Secretary of State is expected to conduct the official count of
signatures on January 28th.
OBAR is a coalition of the Libertarian, Green, and Constitution Parties
and the Oklahoma Coalition of Independents, unified with the goal of
supporting fair laws for new political parties.