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Oklahoma State Question 815, Independent Redistricting Commission Initiative (2022)
| Oklahoma State Question 815, Independent Redistricting Commission Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 8, 2022 | |
| Topic Redistricting measures | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type Constitutional amendment | Origin Citizens |
Oklahoma State Question 815, the Independent Redistricting Commission Initiative, was not on the ballot in Oklahoma as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 8, 2022.
Proponents withdrew the measure on September 22, 2020.
The initiative would havecreated an independent redistricting commission responsible for congressional and state legislative redistricting. As of 2020, congressional and state legislative districts were drawn by the state legislature.[1][2]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for this measure would have been as follows:[2]
| “ |
This proposed amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution is intended to prevent political gerrymandering. It creates an independent redistricting Commission, and vests the power to redistrict the state's House, Senatorial, and federal Congressional districts in the Commission (rather than the Legislature). The Commission is composed of three members from each of three groups: the state's largest political party, second-largest party, and those unaffiliated with either. A panel of retired judges would select pools of applicants from each group, then choose by lot three Commissioners from each. The amendment establishes qualifications for Commissioners designed to avoid conflicts of interest (for example, neither they nor their immediate family may have been elected to partisan office or worked for a political party in the last five years). It estabishes a process for redistricting within a year after approval of this measure, and then after each decennial census, and establishes new redistricting criteria. No plan may disproportionately advantage any political party, and the Commission may not consider candidates' residences except as needed for these criteria. The Supreme Court would select a plan if the Commission cannot. The amendment provides for funding and judicial review, repeals constitutional provisions, and reserves powers to the Commission. Shall the proposal be approved? For the proposal - YES Against the proposal - NO A "YES" vote is a vote in favor of this measure. A "NO" vote is a vote against this measure. [3] |
” |
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
People Not Politicians filed the initiative.[4]
Arguments
People Not Politicians wrote, "Oklahomans deserve to have fair and equal representation across the state, and partisan gerrymandering is keeping that from happening. Oklahoma’s politicians have not been held accountable for far too long. When politicians know their district is drawn to protect them from losing elections, they become less accountable to the voters and are more loyal to their own interests. Our initiative will create districts that are drawn fairly, elections that are more competitive, and politicians who are more interested in responding to the needs of average citizens and fixing many of the state’s real problems."[4]
Opposition
Ballotpedia did not identify committees, organizations, or individuals opposing the ballot initiative. If you are aware of any opponents or opposing arguments, please send an email with a link to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Background
Redistricting in Oklahoma
- See also: Redistricting in Oklahoma
Going into the 2020 election and the 2020 census year, congressional and state legislative districts were drawn by the state legislature. A simple majority vote in each chamber was required to pass a redistricting plan, which was subject to veto by the governor.
Procedures for state legislative redistricting by state
- See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures
In 34 of the 50 states, state legislatures play the dominant role in state legislative redistricting. Commissions draw state legislative district lines in 14 states. In two states, hybrid systems are used, in which state legislature share redistricting authority with commissions. See the map and table below for further details.[5][6][7]
Procedures for congressional redistricting by state
- See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures
Most states are required to draw new congressional district lines every 10 years following completion of United States Census (those states comprising one congressional district are not required to redistrict). In 33 of these states, state legislatures play the dominant role in congressional redistricting. In nine states, commissions draw congressional district lines. In two states, hybrid systems are used, in which the legislatures share redistricting authority with commissions. The remaining states comprise one congressional district each, rendering redistricting unnecessary. See the map and table below for further details.[5][6]
Path to the ballot
In Oklahoma, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated constitutional amendment for the ballot is equal to 15 percent of the votes cast for governor in the previous gubernatorial election. Signatures must be submitted 90 days after the initiative is cleared for circulation by the secretary of state. Measures are generally placed on the next general election ballot following signature verification, but the governor may call a special election or place the measure on the primary ballot. If petitioners are targeting a specific election, the secretary of state recommends that signatures be submitted eight months prior to the election; however, they must be submitted a minimum of 60 days before the election to make the ballot.
The requirements to get an initiated constitutional amendment certified for the 2020 ballot:
- Signatures: 177,958 valid signatures were required
- Deadline: Each initiative has its own deadline that is 90 days after it was approved to circulate.
The secretary of state verifies signatures and submits the totals and the vote totals that determine the requirement to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which makes the final determination of sufficiency.
Details about this initiative
- The initiative was filed on August 11, 2020, by People Not Politicans. The group filed a previous version of the the initiative, State Question 804, in October 2019, but the state supreme court blocked the measure from appearing on the ballot on February 4, 2020. Justice Douglas Combs wrote that the gist needed more detail so that those who sign it are aware the measure is intended to stop partisan gerrymandering. In a separate ruling, the court said the petition complied with single-subject requirements and did not violate the First Amendment. People Not Politicians, sponsors of the measure, said they would rewrite the ballot language and refile the measure.[1]
- Proponents withdrew the measure on September 22, 2020.[1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Oklahoma Secretary of State, "State Questions," accessed August 13, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Oklahoma Secretary of State, "State Question 815 full text," accessed August 13, 2020
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 People Not Politicians, "Learn more," accessed August 13, 2020
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 All About Redistricting, "National Summary," accessed July 29, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The American Redistricting Project, "State," accessed July 29, 2024
- ↑ NCSL, "Redistricting Commissions: State Legislative Plans," December 10, 2021
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