Lawsuits Challenge Oklahoma Petition Signature Law

Two lawsuits have been filed in the Oklahoma Supreme Court challenging Senate Bill 1027, a new law that limits the number of initiative petition signatures that can be collected from any one county, with especially strict limits on Oklahoma and Tulsa counties. Plaintiffs argue the law is unconstitutional, violates the Oklahoma Constitution and the Equal Protection Clause, and is designed to disenfranchise urban voters and hinder citizen ballot measures. Proponents of open primaries, including backers of State Question 836, claim the law’s retroactive application is aimed at derailing their efforts to reform elections. Supporters of SB 1027, including Senator David Bullard and Governor Kevin Stitt, argue the law promotes broader statewide representation and prevents metropolitan areas from dominating the process. Critics, however, characterize SB 1027 as a power grab and an assault on direct democracy. The Oklahoma Supreme Court is being asked to block the law's enforcement and decide on its constitutionality.