Oklahoma Voters To Decide 11 State Questions

Lacie Lowry, The News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- Election day is exactly one month away, and voters will see more than just political races on the ballot.

Eleven State Questions are up for a vote, ranging from educational funding to making English the official language of Oklahoma.

There are more state questions on the ballot this year than almost any other year.

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Two state lawmakers held a forum Saturday to educate voters about each of those eleven questions.

Tulsa Resident Theresa Edwards came to the forum with questions. "I understand to a degree, I just want to get a better understanding before I vote," Edwards said.

Edwards is not alone. Many voters are curious about State Question 744, which covers education funding.

It calls for raising the education funding per student to the regional average, which is the six states surrounding Oklahoma.

Opponents say its cost is too high and other state agencies would suffer drastic funding cuts. Supporters say this measure could reduce class size and cut down on the dropout rate.

The Yes on 744 campaign claims the state had 14,000 dropouts in 2009.

"Who is going to oversee that the money is channeled? Where it will be channeled?" Questioned Edwards.

Question 746 deals with voting requirements and specifies that voters provide a photo I-D or voter registration card at the polls. Opponents believe the proposal targets the elderly and immigrants.

The Health care system is covered in Question 756. It would allow residents to opt out of any federal health care mandates.

And State Question 751 proposes making English the "unifying" language of Oklahoma.

"You need access, regardless of whether you speak English or Spanish," said Tulsa Resident Mikeal Vaughn.

Vaughn has more concerns than questions about that measure. "They might not have the language ability, we still have to respect that and we have to have some sort of accommodations for those people," he said.

Other State Questions are about state budgets, judicial reform, term limits for elected officials, how the re-districting committee is formed and signatures on political petitions.