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Medical Marijuana Supporters Optimistic As Signature-Gathering Deadline Passes

Sean Murphy / AP
Supporters of medical marijuana drop off boxes of signatures to the Secretary of State's office Thursday in Oklahoma City.

Supporters of an initiative petition that would legalize medical marijuana in Oklahoma delivered boxes of signatures to the Secretary of State’s office Thursday, but they aren’t sure if they have enough signatures to put the measure on November’s ballot.

The group Oklahomans for Health needs nearly 66,000 signatures. Chip Paul is a medical researcher and co-chair of the organization. He says at last count - about a week and a half ago – volunteers had 50,000 and continued to gather signatures right up to the deadline.

“We’re going to be just right at the number,” Paul said. “It may be that we’re over the number and it may be that we’re just under the number. We really don’t know. It’s that close.”

The Secretary of State’s office will count and verify the signatures. Former state Rep. and 2014 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Joe Dorman, who is also part of the campaign, says the group is cautious, but hopeful.

“We’re flying blind because we stopped counting and scanning over the weekend, just making sure everything was processed,” Dorman said. “So we’re optimistic just based on rough numbers what was coming in.”

Doman says if the group doesn’t meet the threshold, he expects another effort in 2018.

Jacob McCleland was KGOU's News Director from 2015 to 2018.
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