Oklahoma has debated rules requiring initiative campaigns to gather support across congressional districts rather than relying mainly on signatures from populous areas. Supporters argue that statewide ballot measures should demonstrate geographic breadth. Opponents say district-based requirements give lightly populated regions disproportionate veto power and make signature gathering more expensive, especially after district boundaries change. Related legal challenges have focused on how such restrictions affect the constitutional initiative right. A geographic-distribution requirement obligates a petition to collect a minimum number or share of signatures from several regions rather than only statewide. Oklahoma City and Tulsa should not decide everything, but rural voters should not receive more petition power per person. The rule needs statewide reach without creating a regional veto.
How broadly across Oklahoma should petition support be spread before a measure reaches voters?