TULSA, Okla — The Raise the Wage Campaign had a lot to do with fighting for an increase in minimum wage.
Governor Stitt issued an Executive Order allowing a new measure, State Question 832, to be on the 2026 Ballot.
Campaign Spokesperson Amber England said if it gains a majority vote, the measure would increase the minimum wage to $12 in 2027, $13.50 in 2028, and $15 in 2029.
Beyond that, she said the minimum wage would be tied to inflation.
RECENT COVERAGE:Gov. Stitt picks 2026 ballot for minimum wage question
Still, she feels like this is going to take a while to create any change.
"Had the governor set an election date 70 days from when we were to qualify, that election could have happened before the end of this year and the effective date could have been 2025. So working Oklahomans could've had a pay raise starting January 1," said England. "Our campaign is really rooted in the belief that hard work should pay, and if you work hard for a living, you should earn a decent living."
England said 157,000 certified signatures were presented to petition for this measure to be considered, which was about double the signatures needed.
Daniel Bridges helped to get the initial signatures to petition for the measure. Like England, he agrees that costs are rising and it's getting harder to pay for everything.
“You’re not gonna make it on seven-and-a-quarter an hour, I don’t care what anyone says. It has to be comparable to what’s out there,” said Bridges. "They can't even make their car payment, like these young kids, or even look into insurance on them, they can't even make that."
He said he knows the minimum wage doesn't exactly equal a livable wage, but he hopes the increase will help reflect the change in inflation.
"We had hoped to be on the ballot prior, but the good news is that we are gonna be on the ballot," said England. "We feel really good about being able to give a pay raise to nearly 320,000 hardworking Oklahomans."
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
