Elections in Oklahoma

All elections shall be free and equal. No power, civil or military, shall ever interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage, and electors shall, in all cases, except for treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance on elections and while going to and from the same.

— Section 5, Article 3, the Oklahoma Constitution

Subject to such exceptions as the Oklahoma Legislature may prescribe, all citizens of the United States, over the age of eighteen and who are residents of this state, may register to vote as a qualified elector of Oklahoma.

General election

The general election for all elected state, district and country officers is held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November every two years. Those offices whose term expires the year following the general election must face election in that general election. For the statewide elected executive offices (the Governor of Oklahoma, Attorney General of Oklahoma, etc.), they must face election in the general election held two years after the last election for President of the United States. Thus, the most recent gubernatorial election was held in 2018, and the most recent presidential election was held in 2016,

Candidates for United States Senator and United States Representative are elected in the state general election occurring as their term expires.

Primary election

A primary election must be held for a political party to nominate its candidates for the offices to the filled at the next general election. Such primaries are held on the last Tuesday in June of each year in which a general election is to be held, unless it is a presidential preference primary, in which case it is the First Tuesday after the First Monday in March. No candidate's name may be printed on the general election ballot unless such candidate has been nominated by his political party by a primary election. However, nonpartisan candidates need not seek primary election nominations in order to appear on the general election ballot.

Runoff primary election

If at any primary election no candidate for the nomination for office of any political party receives a majority of all votes cast for all candidates of the party for the office, then the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be placed on the official ballot as candidates for such nomination at a Runoff Primary Election to be held on the fourth Tuesday of August in the same year. The winner of the runoff primary shall be the political party's nomination for the office to be filled.

Discover more about Types of elections related topics

General election

General election

A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections . In most systems, a general election is a regularly scheduled election where both a head of government, and either "a class" or all members of a legislature are elected at the same time. Occasionally, dates for general elections may align with dates of elections within different administrative divisions, such as a local election.

Governor of Oklahoma

Governor of Oklahoma

The governor of Oklahoma is the head of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor serves as the head of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma. The governor is the ex officio commander-in-chief of the Oklahoma National Guard when not called into federal use. Despite being an executive branch official, the governor also holds legislative and judicial powers. The governor's responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the Oklahoma Legislature, submitting the annual state budget, ensuring that state laws are enforced, and that the peace is preserved. The governor's term is four years in length.

Attorney General of Oklahoma

Attorney General of Oklahoma

The attorney general of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The attorney general serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State of Oklahoma and head of the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General. The attorney general is responsible for providing legal advice to the other departments and agencies of the executive branch, legislative branch and judicial branch of the state government. The attorney general is also responsible for the prosecution of offenses against Oklahoma law and advocate for the basic legal rights of Oklahoma residents.

President of the United States

President of the United States

The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.

2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

The 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018. Republican businessman Kevin Stitt was elected the governor of the state, succeeding fellow Republican Mary Fallin, who was term-limited. Primary elections occurred on June 26, 2018, with primary runoff elections having occurred on August 28, 2018.

2016 United States presidential election

2016 United States presidential election

The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket of former secretary of state and First Lady of the United States Hillary Clinton and the United States senator from Virginia Tim Kaine, in what was considered a large upset. Trump took office as the 45th president, and Pence as the 48th vice president, on January 20, 2017. It was the fifth and most recent presidential election in which the winning candidate lost the popular vote. It was also the sixth presidential election, and the first since 1944, in which both major party candidates were registered in the same home state.

United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.

United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together, they comprise the national bicameral legislature of the United States.

Primary election

Primary election

Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the country and administrative divisions within the country, voters might consist of the general public in what is called an open primary, or solely the members of a political party in what is called a closed primary. In addition to these, there are other variants on primaries that are used by many countries holding elections throughout the world.

Closed primaries

Oklahoma operates a modified closed primary system, in which only members of a given political party may vote in that party's primary and runoff primary elections. The system is "modified" in that the chairman of each political party may allow registered Independents to vote in that party's primary election, but is not required to do so. Moreover, should Independents be allowed to vote in a primary election, the Independent may not vote in more than one political party's primary elections.

The Oklahoma Democratic chairman recently did decide to allow registered Independents to vote in the Democratic primary.^[2]

Substitute candidates

In the event of the death of a political party's nominee for office prior to the date of the general election, a substitute candidate is permitted to have his name placed on the general election ballot. If the nominee was a candidate for a state office, the state central committee of the party affected must submit to the Secretary of the State Election Board of the name of an alternative candidate to be placed on the general election ballot. Such notice must be submitted in writing within five days after the death has occurred and must be signed by at least two members of the political party's state central committee.

If the death of the political party's nominee should occur five days or more following the Runoff Primary Election date, a special general election shall be called by the Governor of Oklahoma. For such special general election, the candidates for office are the substitute candidate named by the central committee, the nominee of other political parties nominated for office, and any previously filed independent candidates.

Party Recognition

A group of persons may form a recognized political party at any time except during the period between March 1 and November 15 of any even-numbered year if the following procedure is observed:

1. Notice of intent to form a recognized political party must be filed in writing with the Secretary of the State Election Board at any time except during the period between March 1 and November 15 of any even-numbered year;

2. After such notice is filed, petitions seeking recognition of a political party, in a form to be prescribed by the Secretary of the State Election Board, shall be filed with such Secretary, bearing the signatures of registered voters equal to at least 3% percent of the total votes cast in the last General Election for Governor. Each page of such petitions must contain the names of registered voters from a single county. Petitions may be circulated a maximum of one year after notice is filed, provided that petitions shall be filed with the Secretary no later than March 1 of an even-numbered year. Such petitions shall not be circulated between March 1 and November 15 of any even-numbered year; and

3. Within thirty days after receipt of such petitions, the State Election Board shall determine the sufficiency of such petitions. If such Board determines there are a sufficient number of valid signatures of registered voters, the party becomes recognized under the laws of the State of Oklahoma with all rights and obligations accruing thereto.

If a party's nominee for Governor, or nominees for electors for President and Vice President, fail to receive at least 2.5% percent of the total votes cast for said offices in the general election, that party's recognition automatically ceases, and that party must once again go through the process of gaining recognition.^[3]

Current recognized parties

• Democratic Party
• Republican Party
• Libertarian Party

Current active parties

• Green Party
• America's Independent Party of Oklahoma
• Constitution Party
• Pirate Party of Oklahoma

Current recognized organizations

• Americans Elect

Discover more about Political parties related topics

Oklahoma Democratic Party

Oklahoma Democratic Party

The Oklahoma Democratic Party is an Oklahoma political party affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Oklahoma Republican Party

Oklahoma Republican Party

The Oklahoma Republican Party is the Oklahoma state affiliate of the Republican Party (GOP). Along with the Oklahoma Democratic Party, it is one of the two major parties in the state.

Green Party of Oklahoma

Green Party of Oklahoma

The Green Party of Oklahoma is a political party in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was formed in 2002 through a gradual coalition of various state green groups and received its accreditation from the Green Party of the United States (GPUS) in May 2005. Its stated aims are a commitment to environmentalism, non-violence, social justice, and grassroots democracy.

Americans Elect

Americans Elect

Americans Elect was a political organization in the United States known primarily for its efforts to stage a national online primary for the 2012 US Presidential Election. Although it was successful in obtaining signatures to get on the ballot in a majority of states, the process set up by the organization did not select a candidate.