Oklahoma high court says redistricting petition can go ahead

OKLAHOMA CITY — A group that wants a bipartisan commission, instead of state lawmakers, to redraw Oklahoma’s legislative and congressional districts may proceed with its initiative petition, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

The high court said the petition by the group People Not Politicians is legally sufficient to submit to Oklahoma voters.

It’s still unclear when the group can begin gathering the nearly 178,000 signatures required to qualify the state question for the ballot; signature-gathering petitions have been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Republican legislative leaders have fiercely opposed the plan, and several plaintiffs sued to stop the initiative from moving forward.

Read more: https://www.swtimes.com/news/20200528/oklahoma-high-court-says-redistricting-petition-can-go-ahead
(Fort Smith Times Record)