Oklahoma votes to end affirmative action

Voters in Oklahoma approved an amendment to the state’s constitution to end affirmative action programmes in state government that had been designed to increase the hiring of minorities and women in the state’s 115 agencies.

The amendment was approved by 59% of the voters.

Affirmative action, on the books in Oklahoma since 1984, required each state agency to file an annual plan to increase the hiring of women and ethnic minorities.