Supporters of an effort to increase the state’s minimum wage secured enough signatures to get the issue on the ballot, organizers said Monday.
The Oklahoma Secretary of State’s Office has verified 157,287 signatures, well above the 92,263 signatures required to get State Question 832 before voters, said Raise the Wage Oklahoma.
“Our collective success during this phase of the campaign is a testament to the grassroots movement we’re building that is rooted in the value of hard work and a commitment to ensuring Oklahoma families can keep up with the cost of living,” said Amber England, a spokesperson.
England said there is a possibility the measure could make the November ballot. Supporters want it on the ballot as soon as possible, she said.
A 10 business day protest period will begin once the official notification is posted to a statewide newspaper.
The measure has already survived a protest brought by the State Chamber and Oklahoma Farm Bureau Legal Foundation.
“We hope politicians and special interest groups with deep pockets representing giant corporations who have tried to block us at every turn will respect the will of the voters and forgo any further political maneuvers that would keep this off the ballot,” England said. “It’s time to let voters decide this issue for ourselves.”
If approved by voters, it would increase the minimum wage to $9 an hour in 2025 from the current $7.25, the same as the federal minimum wage.
It calls for additional gradual increases until it reaches $15 an hour in 2029.
Additional increases would be tied to the cost of living measured by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index.
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