Vote no on SQ 844 and SQ 846: Protect Oklahoma’s Constitution

On August 25, all Oklahoma voters can help decide on two proposed changes to the state Constitution. Even if you are registered as an independent or don't have a candidate on your primary runoff ballot, you can still vote on State Questions 844 and 846.

The Oklahoma Policy Institute rarely takes positions on state questions. But, after carefully reviewing both proposals, OK Policy is urging voters to vote NO on both state questions.

These measures deal with different topics, but they share a big problem. They ask voters to approve changes to the Constitution without knowing how those changes will be implemented in the future. Instead, they leave key details to be determined later by the Legislature.

Don't agree to something without knowing the details

Most people wouldn't sign a contract if important parts were missing. We want to know exactly what we're agreeing to before we sign.

Changing Oklahoma's Constitution should follow the same idea.

The Constitution is Oklahoma's most important governing document. Before we change it, voters should know exactly what they're approving, instead of just trusting future lawmakers to fill in the details later.

Oklahoma already has laws for these issues

Neither of these state questions fills a gap in Oklahoma law.

Oklahoma already has laws about voter identification. There are also laws about manufacturing property tax exemptions and reimbursements. If lawmakers think these laws need to change, they can do that through the usual legislative process.

The Constitution shouldn't be amended every time there's a policy debate. Constitutional amendments should be reserved for basic principles of government, not for policy questions that future Legislatures might want to change.

What's concerning about each proposal

SQ 844

State Question 844 would change the Constitution to give the Legislature more control over how local governments are reimbursed for some manufacturing property tax exemptions.

The state created this reimbursement program years ago to encourage new manufacturing and make sure local schools, counties, CareerTechs, and other public services didn't lose property tax money. If SQ 844 passes, future lawmakers could change the reimbursement formula, which might leave communities with less money for public education and important local services.

The problem is that SQ 844 doesn't tell voters what the new reimbursement formula would be. That decision would be made later by future politicians.

Voters are being asked to give this authority now and trust that lawmakers will make the right decisions later.

SQ 846

Oklahoma already has strict voter identification requirements in state law.

State Question 846 would add broad language to the Oklahoma Constitution requiring voter identification for all methods of voting, but the specific requirements would be determined by future lawmakers.

Lawmakers wrote this amendment so that it gives them broad and unclear power to create these rules. In states that have passed similar constitutional amendments, new limits have been placed on voting by mail. Voting by mail is a secure option for absentee voters in Oklahoma.

Once again, Oklahoma voters are being asked to change the Constitution before knowing how future policy decisions might turn out.

A Constitution should give us certainty

Good constitutional amendments are clear, needed, and designed to last. These proposals ask voters to give more constitutional authority now while leaving important decisions to be made later.

Voting "NO" doesn't stop lawmakers from addressing these issues. It just means those changes should happen through regular legislation, rather than through constitutional amendments that leave key questions unanswered.

Vote NO on August 25

On Aug. 25, vote NO on State Questions 844 and 846. No matter your political party - or even if there isn't a candidate on your ballot - you can vote on both state questions.

A NO vote protects the Oklahoma Constitution as a document of enduring principles - not a place for policy questions that can and should be addressed through ordinary lawmaking.