Group seeking redistricting question withdraws petition

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A group that wants a bipartisan commission, instead of state lawmakers, to redraw Oklahoma’s legislative districts is withdrawing their initiative petition.

People Not Politicians Executive Director Andy Moore announced the decision on Friday. Moore cited a combination of legal challenges and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group would have had to collect 178,000 signatures from registered voters to qualify the question for the ballot. However the secretary of state halted signature-gathering efforts due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Republican legislative leaders had fiercely opposed the plan, and several plaintiffs sued to stop the initiative from moving forward.