Group In Favor of State Question 820 Works To Mobilize Voters Ahead Of Election

In just over a month, Oklahomans will vote on legalizing recreational marijuana. The Yes on 820 initiative was given a special election in March after missing the November ballot deadline.  

Since 2019, YesOn820 has been working to get recreational marijuana on the ballot. The group told News 9’s Feliz Romero they’re making the most of their time leading up to the election.  

 “This is an unusual election people aren’t used to voting on March 7, 2023 so it takes a lot to just let people know the vote is happening to make sure they are registered in time to vote,” said Michelle Tilley, the Yes On 820 Campaign Manager.  

Oklahoma voters will soon decide if recreational marijuana should be legal in our state, but new voters have to make sure they are registered by the deadline.   

“They have to be registered by February 10, 2023 in order to vote in the March 7 election,” said Tilley.   

The group is hosting forums across the state leading up to the vote. Volunteers have been outside of dispensaries informing Oklahomans on the state question or door knocking registering people to vote who just turned 18.  

“We have a strategy we call the ‘820 era: educate, register and activate voters’ and that’s what we’ve been doing. We have been working with Oklahomans all over the state trying to make it to all of the counties that we can just to let people know that this is on the ballot,” Tilley said.   

If passed, it would create a 15% tax for recreational marijuana sales for adults 21 and up. That funding would then go towards things like education initiatives, healthcare, and drug treatment programs.  

“We know that through these sales we will be receiving a lot of new tax revenue. This is brand new tax revenue coming to our state budget that we haven’t seen before. This is a really important step in moving forward on the laws around marijuana,” said the Campaign Manager.  

They plan on releasing a full breakdown of how recreational marijuana would impact the economy later this week.