What are the regulations for conducting a public referendum in a municipality?
In Oklahoma, all municipalities have the legal authority to hold public referendums, but must abide by the specific regulations outlined in state law. To initiate a public referendum, the petition must first contain a single, clear question, and must receive signatures from 15% of the municipality’s registered voters. After the petition is complete, it must be submitted to the election board for verification within 90 days of the date of the petition’s circulation. If the petition meets the required criteria, the election board will call for a special public referendum election. This election is held during a Municipal election, or, if none is planned, on the first Tuesday following the 90th day after the petition was submitted. After the votes have been tallied, the results must be certified by the election board. If the referendum passes, the referendum language must then be codified into law by the municipality. It is important to note that a municipality may not hold a public referendum election on the same day as a general election, or within 90 days of a municipal election. Furthermore, any referendum must be specific to one single issue, and must be put to the public in an unbiased manner. Ultimately, it is important to remember that referendums process requires both petition and election process in order to ensure that the democratic process is upheld. Knowing the specific rules and regulations of the process is essential in order to ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to participate.
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