Oklahoma voters will decide on a constitutional amendment at the Aug. 25, 2026, primary runoff election. The amendment would require the state legislature to establish a set methodology for determining reimbursement amounts for local governments and districts for revenues lost due to a statewide manufacturing tax exemption.
As of 2026, new or expanded manufacturing plants in Oklahoma are eligible for a five-year property tax exemption. The exemption was originally created when State Question 588 was approved by voters in 1985. The Oklahoma constitution currently requires the state to reimburse cities and other local governments for revenue lost due to the property tax exemption.
The constitutional amendment would add that the state legislature must set levels and methodologies for such reimbursements. The amendment states that the aim of the requirement would be to “[ensure] that no individual county shall receive reimbursement in amounts that result in a detriment to the other counties of the state.”
On March 3, 2026, state Rep. Kyle Hilbert (R-29) introduced the amendment to the state House as House Joint Resolution 1087 (HB 1087). On March 25, 2026, the state House approved HB 1087 in a vote of 76-16. Sixty-nine Republicans and seven Democrats voted yes. Four Republicans and 12 Democrats voted no. On April 9, 2026, the state Senate approved HB 1087 in a vote of 38-7. Thirty-eight Republicans voted yes, and seven Democrats voted no.
Additionally, both chambers approved a motion to place the amendment on the Aug. 25, 2026, ballot. August 25 is the primary runoff election date in Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, winners in primary contests are determined by majority vote. The top two candidates participate in a runoff election if no candidate wins a majority in the first round of balloting.
Senate president pro tempore Lonnie Paxton (R-23) said placing state questions on the August ballot would result in a shorter ballot and thus, reduce voter fatigue. Between initiated measures and constitutional amendments proposed by the state legislature, Ballotpedia is tracking 19 statewide measures that could be placed on the ballot on August 25 or November 3.
House Bill 4440 is one potential constitutional amendment that would be placed on the August 25 ballot. The measure would remove Oklahoma’s Medicaid expansion policy from the state constitution and instead implement it as state statute. Amber England served as the campaign manager for Oklahoma State Question 802, the measure that originally added the Medicaid expansion to the state constitution. She said Republican legislators are deliberately attempting to skew voter turnout in their favor to approve the constitutional amendments they plan to place on the August 25 ballot.
She stated, “They are doing it because they believe fewer voters means a better chance of controlling the outcome of the election and defeating what Oklahomans actually want.” According to Oklahoma Voice, Republican voters have traditionally been more likely to vote in the primary runoff election.
The constitutional amendment is the second measure to officially be placed on the 2026 Oklahoma ballot. Voters will also decide a state question in the June 16 primary election. If approved, State Question 832 would increase the state minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2029. It would also make part-time employees, students, minors, farm/agricultural workers, domestic service workers, newspaper vendors/carriers, and feedstore employees subject to the state minimum wage. As of 2026, such workers are exempt from the state minimum wage.