SQ 797 to Legalize Recreational Marijuana Unlikely to Be on Oklahoma's November Ballot

Although backers will likely get enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot, they also have to be certified and approved by the governor by Aug. 27.

Ballot Box Adobe Stock Credit Kagenmi Resized

News9.com

July 19, 2018

An effort to legalize recreational marijuana may be up in smoke, even though backers will likely get enough signatures to put the measure on the November ballot.

The group Green the Vote says it has about 104,000 signatures, just 20,000 shy of the number it needs to put recreational marijuana up for a vote in the November election. But the Oklahoma Secretary of State says it’s a lot more complicated than that.

"Even if they were to file it today it would be very unlikely it would get on the November ballot. But every day that it doesn't get filed it makes it less and less likely," Secretary of State James Williamson said.

This is because the signatures not only have to be collected, but they also have to be certified and approved by the governor by August 27. And if there are challenges to the petition, which there likely will be, "it becomes virtually impossible at that point," Williamson said.