Petitions to oust Walters, Woods went viral after Nex Benedict's death. Do they actually work?

Petitions to hold Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters and Sen. Tom Woods accountable surfaced after the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old Owasso High School student who died earlier this month after sustaining injuries in a fight in a school bathroom.

But, do these online petitions actually work? How can Oklahomans remove a politician from office?

Here's everything we know.

Online petitions target Ryan Walters, Tom Woods anti-LGBTQ+ comments

A Change.org petition started on Feb. 20 seeking to hold Walters accountable is addressed to Gov. Kevin Stitt and Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat.

The petition states that he's spent his tenure as superintendent "spreading the idea that Oklahoma schools are filled with depraved individuals that groom kids into some mangled woke mold." The petition blames the "extreme, politically motivated speech and propaganda" for Benedict's death and asks Stitt and Treat to hold Walters accountable.

Another petition started Feb. 23 demands the resignation of Woods after he used the word "filth" to describe the LGBTQ+ community last week.

The petition states that Woods' "harmful rhetoric contributes to this climate of fear and intolerance." His words incite violence against vulnerable communities, like the LGBTQ+ community, the petition states.

Do online petitions actually work?

Online petitions are effective in raising awareness faster than traditional paper petitions, Change.org states, but they don't force officials to take action, necessarily.

According to the American Bar Association, there are no legal requirements for internet petitions. So no one will be removed from office, no matter how many signatures there are. However, the swell of support can serve as a signal of public opinion to decision-makers and encourage them to act.

Another form of petition - a political petition - has legal requirements. These follow a specific format set by the state or federal government and can result in direct action. These include nominating petitions to get a candidate on a ballot, petitions to recall elected officials, and petitions for ballot initiatives.

Political petitions are shared publicly but they typically require signers to be registered voters and live in the candidate's election district. If a signature doesn't meet requirements, it can be thrown out.

Can voters remove elected officials in Oklahoma?

Yes, there's a few ways an official can be removed from office in Oklahoma:

Voting in elections

The ultimate method of removing a politician is by electing their replacement during the next election.

However, this can be a lengthy waiting process depending on how long a politician's term lasts. For example, a state senator in Oklahoma is elected for a four-year term.

Impeachment

Another method of removing an elected official is impeachment. Everyone elected to state government can be impeached, and state law outlines five reasons why:

• Willful neglect of duty

• Corruption in office

• Habitual drinking

• Incompetency

• Any offense involving moral turpitude committed while in office

For a state politician to be impeached, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passes an impeachment petition by a majority vote. Then the state Senate holds a trial, hearing statements from both sides. If two-thirds of the senators agree with the charges, the official is removed from office.

Recall method

Additionally, Oklahomans can recall local officials in some municipalities governed by a home-rule charter, like Oklahoma City, Norman and Tulsa.

In Oklahoma City, any elected officer can be removed in a recall election after six months in their position. At least 35% of their electorate must sign a petition to trigger a new election.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Viral petitions to oust Ryan Walters, Sen. Woods: Do they really work?