State Questions
The Oklahoma Secretary of State serves as the central administrative agency and permanent record repository for all three pathways through which a State Question reaches the ballot. Authorized under Title 34 of the Oklahoma Statutes and the Oklahoma Constitution, the Secretary of State manages filing intakes, gist pre-reviews, petition pamphlet issuances, electronic voter data verifications, and county-level cap tracking for citizen-led initiative and referendum petitions. For legislative referendums, the office assigns official State Question numbers to joint resolutions passed by the Legislature, coordinates mandatory ballot title reviews with the Attorney General, and transmits certified measures to the State Election Board and Governor for ballot placement and statewide newspaper publication.
In Oklahoma, a State Question is a proposed constitutional amendment or statutory law submitted to statewide voters for approval or rejection. State Questions originate through three primary mechanisms:
Types of State Questions in Oklahoma
Initiative Petitions (Citizen-Initiated Measures):
An Initiative Petition allows Oklahoma citizens to directly propose new state laws or amendments to the Oklahoma Constitution. Proponents draft the measure and must collect a constitutionally and statutorily mandated number of voter signatures within an assigned 90-day circulation window. If voter signatures are verified and all legal requirements are met, the proposal is placed on a statewide ballot as a State Question.
[Explore the Statewide Initiative & Referendum Petition Process]
Referendum Petitions (Citizen-Led Veto Referendums):
A Referendum Petition gives citizens the power to repeal or block a bill passed by the Oklahoma Legislature during a current legislative session. To qualify, citizens must file the petition and collect the constitutionally and statutorily required signatures within 90 days of the Legislature’s final adjournment. If voter signatures are verified and all legal requirements are met, the contested law is paused and placed on the ballot for the public to vote to approve or reject. (Note: Measures passed by the Legislature with an Emergency Clause are exempt from referendum petitions).
[Explore the Statewide Initiative & Referendum Petition Process]
Legislative Referendums (Legislative Referrals):
A Legislative Referendum is a State Question placed directly on the ballot by the Oklahoma Legislature. When lawmakers pass a Joint Resolution proposing a constitutional amendment or statutory change, it bypasses the signature-gathering process entirely. The measure is transmitted to the Secretary of State, assigned a State Question number, and submitted to statewide voters for a decision.
[Download the Legislative Referendum Process]
