The governor, Mary Fallin, had the choice of this day or the general election day in November (when Utahns will vote if the proposed statewide petition campaign succeeds). The governor announced curtly, “I’m fulfilling my duty as governor to decide when that election will occur this year.”
As for her motivations, while we’re not students of Oklahoma politics, we have been at covering the national story for a bit, as in for several years, and we do know that the Governor has previously been an opponent of reform of any kind in regard to cannabis laws, including dismissing medical cannabis altogether in 2011. And was also called an opponent in 2014 by a local media outlet.
(See: http://ift.tt/2qFNah4 and http://ift.tt/2mdlk7k)
So we also known primary elections generally have much lower voter turnout than general elections, and higher turnout elections have proven generally favorable for medical cannabis ballot initiatives.
Further, Oklahoma is a “ruby red” state politically, so in most years there would be many more Republican voters than Democratic voters – or independents – during the primary election, and while we know that in most states, including Utah, at least a slim majority of Republicans favor medicinal cannabis, they don’t favor it as strongly as Independents, Democrats and libertarian voters.
So in our best guesstimate, the Governor chose what she saw as the least favorable date for the statewide plebiscite. And naturally we are hopeful the tactic will fail.
Much more detail in the article… ….and good luck, Oklahoma..!!
#MMJ #OKpol #Plebiscite #Vote #UTpol #UtahNext #TRUCE
http://ift.tt/2qErTV4
See full article – Oklahomans will vote on medical marijuana June 26 | The City Sentinel
