Voting for the lesser of two evils (or, as I like to say, the evil of two lessers) is quite a dull affair. Further, such a situation encourages many not to participate in civic affairs. Thus, to help introduce more choice and turn things around, Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform plans to circulate a petition that would help break the bi-partisan political monopoly long-enforced by the Sooner State's Old Parties.

OBAR’s website claims Oklahoma’s ballot access law for third parties is the most restrictive in the country. An August 17 OBAR press release explains, “To form a new political party, Oklahoma law currently requires signatures equal to 5% of the last presidential or gubernatorial vote, which meant over 73,000 signatures for 2006. This number is TEN TIMES the per capita requirement of many neighboring states.”

The citizen’s initiative would return the number of signatures needed for recognition of political party status to 5,000. OBAR says, “This is the number required in Oklahoma from 1924 through 1974. This would make Oklahoma the 30th state to require 5,000 or fewer signatures for a new political party or independent presidential candidate.” 

Richard Winger points out (Ballot Access News, June 1, 2007), in 2004 Oklahoma voters were the only ones in the U.S. whose choice was restricted to President Bush or Senator John Kerry. Even write-ins are not allowed.

Winger’s “The Importance of Ballot Access” provides an historical overview of such laws. He explains:

"Two-party system" is a political science term that simply describes a political system in which two parties are much bigger than all the others. It does not refer to a system in which there are only two parties, as some would have us believe. Nor does it refer to a system where the government supports two established parties and tries to discourage the participation, or creation, of all others.