Medicaid expansion supporters organizing Oklahoma volunteers

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A group seeking a statewide vote on whether to expand Medicaid to tens of thousands of low-income Oklahomans is organizing volunteers after receiving the date for when they can begin gathering signatures.

The group Oklahomans Decide Healthcare said Wednesday they’ve been notified by state officials that the 90-day signature gathering window will begin on July 31. Supporters will need to gather nearly 178,000 signatures from registered voters in order to get the question on the ballot.

A spokeswoman for the group, Amber England, says they have been overwhelmed with volunteers from across the state seeking to circulate petitions. England says the group also is prepared to hire professional signature gatherers to ensure they qualify the question for the ballot.

Oklahoma is one of 14 states that have not expanded Medicaid.