OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Supporters of a State Question to approve or deny on gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2029 say there was a precedent for Governor Kevin Stitt to set an earlier election date.
A proclamation filed by the Governor to the Oklahoma Secretary of State's office sets an election date for June 16, 2026 for State Question 832. The Secretary of State's office announced in August supporters of the initiative had raised more than double the amount of required signatures for the measure to go to a vote, but the Governor ultimately has the final say on when that election will take place.
"The statute allowed the governor to set an election date, 70 days from the day that we qualified. Instead, he's pushing it another two years," said Amber England with Raise The Wage Oklahoma.
Governor Stitt explained his reasoning in a statement to News 4 arguing that it's the date of the next qualifying statewide election and that it will save taxpayers nearly two million dollars. You can read the entire statement below:
Consistent with state law, Secretary Cockroft and the State Election Board recommended the next possible statewide ballot, which would be the June 2026 statewide primary. This choice saves taxpayers over $1.8 million and prevents the need for the Election Board to request supplemental funding from the Legislature to arrange a standalone statewide election.
Governor Kevin Stitt
Opponents of the measure say the move came as a surprise to them, but that it hasn't changed their position.
"It doesn't really matter when it's on the ballot, we're going to be opposed to it," said Chad Warmington with the Oklahoma State Chamber.
The chamber argues that the measure would add uncertainty to how business owners in Oklahoma operate and take issue with tying the gradual increases to the consumer price index.
"Every year you're going to have uncertainty in what the minimum wage is going to be increased based on the CPI number and it just, it adds uncertainty to business owners and that's unnecessary," said Warmington.
Warmington said the time frame of the vote could help when it comes to having conversations with legislatures regarding if there is a better way to accomplish a solution that benefits Oklahomans then what the language of what the minimum wage question is currently.
England is accusing the Governor of giving opponents of the measure an edge and that Oklahomans don't need such a significant amount of time to make up their minds.
"He has a precedent. In 2022, when the recreational marijuana issue was on a similar timeline, [Governor Stitt] put it on the ballot in March of 2023."
From the time State Question 820, which failed, had been certified was given an election date and voted on by the people seven months had passed. That's compared to a 22-month total wait time for State Question 832 to be voted on.
"Oklahomans are going to continue to believe that politicians aren't looking out for them, and they will have every right to believe that," said England.
