Oklahoma voters say no to Recreational Marijuana
Voters overwhelmingly rejected State Question 820 that would have legalized recreational marijuana in Oklahoma Tuesday.
With 100% of the votes counted, there were 349,121 no votes, 62%, and 216,883 yes votes, 38%, the Oklahoma State Election Board reported in unofficial results.
Voters across the Sooner State headed to the polls Tuesday for a special election to decide the fate of State Question 820 that would legalize recreational marijuana for adults. Polls closed at 7 p.m.
If the yes votes had prevailed it would have been legal for adults 21 years old and older to possess an ounce of marijuana, and medical marijuana dispensaries could start selling recreational marijuana with a 15% excise tax.
The turnout was heavy Tuesday at precincts in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, said Punky Osburn, Le Flore County Election Board clerk at the office in Poteau.
"It's going good. I'd say it is pretty heavy. We're getting a lot of calls from people wanting to know where to go vote, what precinct they are in," Osburn said.
At the Sequoyah County Election Board in Sallisaw, assistant secretary Abby Smith said the day started out slow but started to pick up with more callers by noon.
"We're starting to get a lot more phone calls, from people wanting information," Smith said during the lunch hour.
People need their state-issued identification card or their voter registration card to vote, Smith said.
If recreational marijuana had been approved in Oklahoma, medical marijuana patients would keep their state licenses. Medical marijuana sales are subject to a 7% excise tax in Oklahoma.
Oklahomans voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2018. Since then, a number of law enforcement officials have reported the number of illegal grow operations in the state escalated, some owned by Chinese nationals.
In eastern Oklahoma, in the two counties bordering Fort Smith city limits, Sequoyah County has 42 dispensaries and Le Flore County has 45 dispensaries, according to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. The entire state of Arkansas has 38 dispensaries for medical marijuana. There is one dispensary in Fort Smith and one in Van Buren, Good Day Farm.
In Roland, Okla., Sean Morehead is the general manager of River Valley Natural Health. The medical marijuana dispensary opened a new location in Moffett this year. Morehead said he thinks legalization of recreational marijuana will be good for business for those in the upstart cannabis industry.
Morehead said he voted yes Tuesday for recreational marijuana. He voted early so the turnout was pretty light before 8 a.m. He said he could not predict the outcome of the vote.
"I wish I knew. After 7 p.m. (Tuesday) I'll be very anxiously awaiting the results like a lot of people. Everyone I've talked to today who has voted is super excited about it. It will go through or it won't and if it doesn't we will keep doing what we've been doing," Morehead said.
Oklahoma could become the 22nd state in the nation to approve recreational marijuana for adults. Arkansans rejected recreational marijuana in a Nov. 8, general election. Arkansans said no to recreational marijuana with 56% against and 44% in favor after an initiative petition landed the state question on ballots.
