The grassroots movement to give hard-working Oklahomans a pay raise will complete its first month of signature collection this week and to celebrate, supporters are hitting the road to collect even more signatures in communities across the state.
Volunteers expect to have a lot of company over the final two months of the signature phase as they work to collect nearly 93,000 signatures from registered voters. Across the state, Oklahomans have offered to help collect petitions and flooded the campaign in recent weeks with requests to sign.
“This issue really has people excited and ready to go,” said Cindy Alexander, a day one volunteer who not only collects signatures in her hometown of Stillwater, but is volunteering her time to train volunteers online two nights each week. “People want to be part of gradually raising the minimum wage so their friends, family and neighbors can keep up with the cost of living.
Alexander has trained more than 200 volunteers to collect signatures thus far.
“What’s been so incredible about the campaign so far, is that folks in rural Oklahoma are just as excited to sign the petition as people living right in the urban core of Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Regardless of where folks live, Oklahomans across the state understand this measure is just common sense. They know it’s been far too long since hard-working Oklahomans have had a pay raise.”
The Yes On 832 campaign will capitalize on all of that excitement by hitting the road this morning for a four day sign and go statewide tour that will span four days and include 16 communities across all four quadrants of the state.
Stops are scheduled for Oklahoma City, Ponca City, Bartlesville, Claremore, Tulsa, Muskogee, Tahlequah, McAlester, Ada, Ardmore, Durant, Duncan, Lawton, Elk City and Weatherford.
“We want to train as many people to collect signatures as want to be trained and we want to get petitions into the hands of as many volunteers as we can,” said Amber England, the Yes on 832 campaign spokesperson. “This campaign is building a movement to put power back into the hands of Oklahoma workers and give Oklahoma families the ability to afford to keep up with the rising costs of gas, groceries and housing, and it only makes sense for people in cities and towns all across our state to lead the way.”
If approved by voters, the state question would gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and include a provision for future increases to be tied to the cost of living. Its immediate impact would mean 320,000 workers across the state would see an increase in their paycheck, including childcare and healthcare workers taking care of the most vulnerable among us. Additionally, nearly 200,000 children are living in households across the state, whose parents would see an increase in pay as a result of the passage of State Question 832.
Oklahomans who want to be trained to collect signatures or just want to stop by to sign a petition can learn more by visiting the campaign’s website at raisethewageok.org and clicking on the events tab.
ABOUT YES ON 832: Raise the Wage Oklahoma
The Yes On 832 campaign is working to put a gradual increase in the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 on the ballot. It is supported by a growing coalition of Oklahoma workers, families, small business owners and faith leaders. Voters from across the state will be part of the signature collection happening now through July 15th, 2024.
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