Stitt Orders Special Election on Constitutional Convention, Faces Legal Challenge

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt issued an executive order and proclamation creating State Question 848, which asks voters whether the Legislature should revise, amend, or replace the State Constitution through a constitutional convention. The proclamation sets a special statewide election for April 6, 2027, a date that falls after Stitt's term ends on January 11, 2027. Stitt cited constitutional authority he says he holds independent of the Legislature to call the vote. Alongside the proclamation, Stitt launched a nine-member commission tasked with studying the history of constitutional conventions and identifying safeguards that would apply if voters approve the measure. Critics have challenged the legality of the governor's action, arguing that under Oklahoma law only the Legislature or the people through initiative petition can place questions on the ballot. Former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson said the governor lacks the power to unilaterally schedule such a vote, a position reportedly shared by the current state attorney general's office. As of the reporting, the legal dispute over the proclamation's validity remains unresolved, and no court ruling on the matter has been reported. It is unclear whether the election will proceed as scheduled if the legality of Stitt's action is challenged in court before April 2027. The commission's specific membership and its findings had not yet been detailed in available reporting.