Objection to Signature Count Filed

June 1, 2026

State Question 836 Campaign Statement on Objection to Signature Count

A citizen objection to the Secretary of State’s signature certification of State Question 836 was filed today seeking judicial review.

Vote Yes 836 volunteers submitted over 209,000 petition signatures after a statewide, grassroots effort conducted during extreme winter conditions and holidays, with the goal of introducing an open primaries proposal for a statewide vote and expanding voter participation in Oklahoma elections.

Following review by the Secretary of State’s office, 142,567 signatures were certified as valid — below the 172,933 required for ballot qualification.

The filed objection challenges the conclusions of the reported final number, requests additional review to ensure all signatures were evaluated in accordance with constitutional and statutory requirements, and seeks transparency in the Secretary’s initiative petition counting process.

“We all want more faith in our government, but trust is not built by summarily rejecting more than 57,000 signatures without providing a sufficient explanation as to their exclusion. We simply want the ability to identify which signatures were excluded so we can evaluate if they should have been counted,” said Ken Setter, a State Question 836 volunteer.

At present, voters who signed the petition have no practical means to determine whether their signatures were accepted or rejected, or why. On behalf of the hundreds of volunteers and signors, Vote Yes 836 organizers support the objection effort to deliver confidence that every signature collected receives fair consideration.

The deadline for objections to the Secretary of State’s signature count is June 15. It is not known if additional objections may be filed before the Supreme Court begins its decision-making process.

Filings in this case may be found at:  https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123849

Regardless of any objection and outcome, the efforts of the Vote Yes 836 open primaries campaign has already demonstrated that hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans want to engage in conversations about improving voter participation, strengthening representation, and modernizing Oklahoma elections.

Vote Yes 836 organizers remain grateful to every volunteer, signor, donor, and supporter who participated in this historic citizen-led effort.

Vote Yes 836 volunteers and supporters continue their work, advocating for transparent government, civic engagement, and reforms that give all voters a stronger voice in Oklahoma’s future.

Media Inquiries: Contact Lauren Brookey at lbrookey@gmail.com