Oklahomans May Not Vote on Rec Marijuana Despite Massive Support

Through Jelena Martinovic

The initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in Oklahoma was upheld by the Secretary of State’s office Monday and is now headed to the state Supreme Court for a signature count, Tulsa World reports.

Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws (OSML) submitted over 164,000 signatures in July, far more than the roughly 95,000 they need to qualify the state’s Question 820 for voting. The Office of the Secretary of State announced that over 117,000 signatures had been submitted.

However, it’s unclear if Oklahoma will be able to vote on the marijuana legalization issue this fall.

Once the Senate gives its approval, members of the public have a 10-day window to challenge the validity of the petition. Meanwhile, Paul Ziriax, secretary of the Oklahoma Election Committee, wrote in a recent letter to Gov. Kevin Stitt that August 29 is a deadline to get the initiative on the ballot. For practical reasons, however, the Oklahoma State Election Board must receive an executive proclamation no later than 5 p.m. Friday when the county election boards confirm the primary runoff results, according to Tulsa World.

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“This ‘practical deadline’ ensures that county electoral authorities have time to prepare ballots to meet the 45-day deadline for mailing ballots by mail to military voters,” Ziriax wrote.

If and when voters approve it, marijuana use will be legal for adults over the age of 21 to purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis and to grow up to six mature plants and six seedlings for personal use.

Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images

Question on legalization of medical marijuana does not appear in Nebraska’s November vote

Nebraskans will have to wait at least until 2024 to vote on legalizing medical marijuana because the Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM) did not submit enough valid signatures to put the two initiatives on the November vote.

“Certified letters have been sent to the sponsors to inform them of the results of the signature verification,” Secretary of State Bob Evnen (R) said in a press release.

RELATED: As suicide rates soar, Nebraska governor says there’s no evidence cannabis helps veterans with PTSD

The state said Monday the campaign was missing about 10,000 signatures for each measure, Marijuana Moment reported.

The first would require legislators to enact laws that protect doctors who recommend medical treatment with cannabis and patients who use it. The other would require legislatures to set rules for the medicinal cannabis program.

“To say I’m devastated would be an understatement,” Crista Eggers, the organizer behind the petition campaign, said in an email to supporters on Monday. “Suffering Nebrascans should never be faced with having to leave themselves or their families from the state they call home just to access health care.”

New York officials announce clinics to erase marijuana convictions

New Yorkers with prior cannabis offenses have the option to have marijuana-related convictions expunged from their criminal records, or reduced, as Erie County officials announced two upcoming marijuana-conviction-clearance clinics to be held in Buffalo in the coming weeks.

The first information session is scheduled for Thursday 25th August, while the second event will take place on Saturday 24th September. Both trainings are held at the Elim Christian Fellowship at 70 Chalmers Avenue in the city of Buffalo.

RELATED: New York Mayor orders NYPD to crack down on illegal cannabis sellers

“Now that New York State has legalized recreational cannabis, we must act on behalf of people whose lives have been unfairly impacted by a marijuana-related conviction on their criminal record,” said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn. “African Americans in particular have been disproportionately affected by the criminalization of cannabis, which has prevented them from pursuing certain life opportunities.”

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.