Tag: oklahoma
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Over the past two weeks, 10 new ballot measures were certified in six states — Alabama, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, and Oklahoma
As of April 14, 94 statewide measures have been certified for the ballot in 36 states, 10 more measures than the average number certified at this point in other even-numbered years over the past decade (2014 to 2024). Here’s an update on the latest ballot measure activity during the past two weeks: The last signature…
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Oklahoma voters to decide state question on reimbursement methodology for local revenue lost to manufacturing tax exemption on August 25 primary runoff ballot
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…
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Sen. Alan Armstrong becomes the 11th U.S. senator to announce he won’t seek re-election in 2026
Sen. Alan Armstrong (R-Okla.) signed an affidavit on March 24, 2026, stating that he will not run to represent Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate in 2026. On March 24, 2026, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) appointed Armstrong to represent the state in the U.S. Senate. Markwayne Mullin (R) previously held the seat before he resigned…
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Sen. Alan Armstrong takes office — ending the day-long vacancy in Oklahoma’s class II seat
On March 24, 2026, President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) swore Sen. Alan Armstrong (R-Okla.) into the U.S. Senate, filling the vacancy in Oklahoma’s class II seat. The vacancy began on March 23, 2026, after Markwayne Mullin (R) resigned from the U.S. Senate to serve as the U.S. secretary of homeland security in President Donald…
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Rep. Kevin Hern becomes the 16th U.S. House member to run for the U.S. Senate in 2026
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) announced on March 11, 2026, that he will run to represent Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate in 2026 rather than for another term in the U.S. House of Representatives. On March 4, 2026, President Donald Trump (R) announced that he was nominating incumbent Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to serve as Secretary…
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Oklahoma campaign submits signatures for ballot initiative to establish top-two primaries in the state
The campaign behind Oklahoma State Question 836 (SQ 836), Vote Yes 836, submitted more than 200,000 signatures on Jan. 26 to the Oklahoma secretary of state. If approved, the initiative would create a top-two primary system in the state. A top-two primary is a type of primary election where all candidates are listed on the…
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Four state legislatures have passed bills ending judicial deference in 2025, most recently Missouri and Oklahoma
What's the story In the 2025 legislative sessions, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Texas enacted laws prohibiting judicial deference by state courts to state administrative agencies. In a fourth state, Missouri, the legislature approved a bill and sent it to the governor’s desk. It had not been signed as of June 13. Three states were Republican trifectas.…
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Oklahoma passes REINS Act, legislative and executive oversight, and judicial nondeference bills
Governor Kevin Stitt (R) signed House Bill 2728, titled Oklahoma’s Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025, on May 21. HB 2728 directs the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) to independently review and verify economic impact statements for rules with implementation and compliance costs exceeding $1 million over five…
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Oklahoma enacts pay-per-signature ban, residency requirement, signature distribution requirement, and funding disclosure rules for ballot initiative petitions
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R) signed Senate Bill 1027 (SB 1027) on May 27, enacting changes to the state's initiative and referendum processes. The bill passed in the Oklahoma State Legislature with all Democrats voting against and all but six Republicans in favor. Oklahoma is one of 26 states with an initiative process. Citizens in…
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Oklahoma State Legislature advances bill to change process of initiated ballot measures
The Oklahoma House of Representatives again advanced Senate Bill 1027 (SB 1027), a measure that would change the process of placing citizen-initiated amendments and laws on the ballot. SB 1027, which would take effect immediately after its passing, would make three changes to the initiative process in Oklahoma. First, it would implement a distribution requirement…