A state question is seeking to open up Oklahoma’s primary elections. Advocates allege it will stop more extreme candidates. But some prominent lawmakers say the state question process is skewed to favor Oklahoma's most populated areas. KWGS’ Elizabeth Caldwell spoke with Ros Elder, a retired public school teacher who supports the state question. Listen above or read a transcript below.
ELIZABETH CALDWELL: We are talking about a campaign around a state question. Can you tell me about that?
ROS ELDER: Sure. State Question 836 has been in development for several years now in response to the really sad voting situation here in Oklahoma. The focus has been for a very long time on our politicians.
We just think as a result of the very poor voting records, it's time to shift the focus to the the voters.
CALDWELL: What's that poor voting record?
ELDER: Okay. The last last two presidential elections, Oklahoma ranked last in voter turnout. Last in voter turnout in the last two presidential elections.
CALDWELL: And how would the state question change that?
ELDER: Okay. We want to allow the primaries to be open to everybody. We want all people in this state to be allowed to vote. In other words, if you go to the polls and there's an election, instead of being asked what your party affiliation is, you will simply be handed, in the open primaries, one ballot with all names of everybody that's running for office listed on that ballot.
CALDWELL: And I've heard that this will stop more extreme candidates. How would that work though?
ELDER: Let’s think about it. Alright. So so you're handed this whole ballot, and the people whose names are on that ballot have to appeal to all voters, not just the very few that they know that are going to end up voting for them.
So they're going to have to start to listen to somebody besides a very small group of their own supporters.
CALDWELL: And that's not happening now?
ELDER: Don’t think so. The the polling shows that that's not. It shows that people in this state feel very left out, very disgusted, frankly, very sad about the whole voting situation.
They don't feel that their voices are heard, and we just think it's time that they were heard.
CALDWELL: And your state question, where is it at now in the in the filing process?
ELDER: It’s being filed and then we are, waiting to for the go ahead to start the petitioning process. They have, the state Legislature has come up with Senate Bill 1027, which is going to severely limit our ability to collect those signatures in a timely manner. It will also silent the voices of many people in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, some of our larger areas in Oklahoma. As a result of that, we are looking at it as simply being unconstitutional. You cannot do these things to the voters of Oklahoma.
So the next part of it is to challenge this if it gets passed. Right now, it's before the Senate, and we're really hoping that with the encouragement of a lot of people that have sent in their voices, that they will not pass the Senate. If it does not pass the Senate, it's a non-issue, and we'll get to go forward with our for the petition process.
CALDWELL: Do you have a timeframe around that vote or do you know?
ELDER: Yes. We we're hoping to get it on the ballot in November of 2026.
CALDWELL: I mean, the opposition vote, the the the piece of legislation that's concerning you that could stop, complicate the process.
ELDER: It could complicate it. Yes. Because we are obviously going to realize that it is very unconstitutional, and there will be some lawsuits filed as a result. But the enthusiasm for this is growing big time, and that's what we want to build on because we do know that at some point, this will go to the ballot.
CALDWELL: Confident.
ELDER: Yeah. It needs to.
CALDWELL: Do we know, what the progress of that piece of legislation though is? I'm trying to kinda pin down when we can expect to know whether your effort will be complicated. You know, when is it being heard in the Senate? Do you know that?
ELDER: Right now. Yeah. It's it's on the Senate floor this week.
CALDWELL: Okay.
ELDER: Yeah. So this this is very right now.
CALDWELL: Oh, okay. And, when you talk about support and momentum is growing, you've been doing events and stuff. Can you can you talk about that? How how you've been going around and seeing people and talking with them?
ELDER: Sure. It's been it's been really interesting, and here's why.
Picture this: I'm in a wonderful hamburger place downtown Tulsa, and there's a big group of us that are initially interested in this. Here I am seated at a table with a Democrat, a Republican, and myself, an independent. We're not discussing partisan policy issues at all. We are simply discussing together and in agreement that voting in the state of Oklahoma absolutely must change. That's just the beginning of it.
From there, all of us in all of these, you know, libertarians, you name it. We are out there recognizing that this needs to change. As a result, we are giving speeches everywhere. I recently gave a speech to a group of people. I'm also giving a speech to a group of retired educators, book clubs, people everywhere.
CALDWELL: And you have an event coming up in Tulsa. Is it Thursday?
ELDER: Yes. It is Thursday at 6:00. A little pre-event, a little fun at the beginning, and then we're gonna settle into our seats at Rudisill Library. And then we are going to present the program to the people there.
We're signing up a lot of people to come. But we're also not just showing you what it's about. We're going to take your questions to see what what your concerns about this are as well.
ZACH BOBLITT, HOST: That was KWGS’ Elizabeth Caldwell speaking with Ros Elder, an advocate for State Question 836.
