Press Conference at Capitol Friday Sept 14th, after Filing Petition For Immediate Release: September 10th, 2007 Contact: Michael Hammer 405-714-5060 Hammer@OkVoterChoice.org Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform will hold a press conference at 2:00 PM on Friday, Sept. 14th in the State Capitol (east side of first floor rotunda) after filing to circulate an initiative petition. The initiative will seek to reform Oklahoma’s ballot access laws, considered the most restrictive in the country. To form a new political party, Oklahoma law currently requires signatures equal to 5% of the last presidential or gubernatorial vote, which meant over 73,000 signatures for 2006. This number was TEN TIMES the per capita requirement of many neighboring states, including Texas, Missouri, and New Mexico. This initiative would return the number of signatures for recognition of political party back to 5,000, the number required in Oklahoma from 1924 until 1974. This would make Oklahoma the 30th state to require 5,000 or fewer signatures for a new political party or independent presidential candidate. The initiative would also make the requirements more reasonable for a party to demonstrate support and stay on the ballot. OBAR plans to collect approximately 90,000 signatures over 90 days. Supporters have already pledged to collect OVER HALF of the needed signatures and an anonymous donor will donate $25,000 once OBAR has raised $50,000. OBAR has already attracted attention nationwide, bringing Independent presidential candidate, Daniel Imperato, and National Libertarian Executive Director, Shane Cory, to Oklahoma City last week. Future plans include bringing former Congressman Bob Barr to Oklahoma to advocate for more voter choice. OBAR is a coalition of the Libertarian, Green, and Constitution Parties and the Oklahoma Coalition of Independents, unified with the simple goal of making laws fair for new political parties.

Labels: Decision '08

Posted at 9/12/2007 12:47:00 PM