Lawsuits filed after drastic changes to initiative petition process

Yahoo

14-06-2025

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Two lawsuits were filed after drastic changes were made by lawmakers to the initiative petition process in Oklahoma.
'I think they took the idea of direct democracy away from everyday rural Oklahomans, and it offended me,' said Craig McVay, a rural Oklahoma voter.
McVay is listed as a plaintiff in one of the lawsuits. He is one of many who joined in on the lawsuit.
Senate Bill 1027 went into effect at the end of the legislative session. It was authored by State Sen. David Bullard (R-Durant) and prevents more than 10% of required signatures from coming from Oklahoma or Tulsa counties.
Stitt signs bill limiting Oklahomans' access to support ballot initiative petitions
Meanwhile, each of the state's 75 other counties, most of which are rural, are capped at 4% of total signatures.
The lawsuit was filed as McVay et al. v. Cockroft and Drummond and challenges SB 1027's constitutionality.
Supporters of SB 1027 have long argued that the reason it was needed was to give rural Oklahomans more of a voice when it came to signature gathering.
'I've checked a box in every rural part of the state and have been a part of the process the entire time. Now I feel like the legislature just took a swipe at me, and I don't like that,' said McVay.
'I can't imagine having to try to defend this law. It, quite frankly, is indefensible,' said Amber England of Strategy 77.
England has led the way for many initiative petitions over the years and fought at the Capitol when SB 1027 was being discussed by lawmakers.
'We hope the court acts quickly to throw this out so that there's no longer uncertainty,' said England.
According to Strategy 77, key constitutional arguments in the lawsuit include:
County-Based Signature Caps: Senate Bill 1027 limits how many signatures can be collected in each county, violating Article V, Section 2 of the Oklahoma Constitution and the Equal Protection Clause by creating arbitrary distinctions among voters.
Gist Language Approval: The law gives the Secretary of State, an unelected, politically appointed position, unchecked authority to approve or reject petition summaries, violating the separation of powers and placing unconstitutional restraints on free speech.
Circulation and Funding Restrictions: Senate Bill 1027 mandates circulation and funding restrictions that courts have repeatedly struck down as violations of the First Amendment.
Special Laws and Unequal Treatment: The law singles out initiative and referendum proponents for restrictions not imposed on candidates, opponents, or other political campaigns.
'It takes away power from Oklahoma voters. And I hope that the court will understand that and see that for what it is,' said England.
On that lawsuit, Attorney General Gentner Drummond and Secretary of State Josh Cockroft are listed.
The other lawsuit filed was brought on by supporters of State Question 836. They said that they are challenging the retroactive application of Senate Bill 1027.
In their press release, they said that SQ 836 would establish an open primary system in Oklahoma, allowing all voters, regardless of party, to vote in primary elections. The measure was filed in January of 2025 and is currently pending before the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
News 4 reached out to the AG's office and the Secretary of State's Office Friday and have not heard back yet.
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