
Legislatures in 12 states—Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Vermont—are set to adjourn in May 2026. In the coming weeks, lawmakers in these states will decide whether to advance measures to the statewide ballot. Across these states, at least 60 potential ballot measures have already completed at least…

The Oklahoma State Legislature referred a constitutional amendment related to the nomination of judges within the state to the Nov. 3, 2026, statewide general election ballot. On April 9, 2026, legislators passed the amendment, which would change the structure of the state's Judicial Nominating Commission. The ballot measure would restructure the Judicial Nominating Commission, which…

On April 7, 2026, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the Oklahoma Energy Discrimination Elimination Act of 2022 is unconstitutional when applied to the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS). The court also issued a permanent injunction preventing state Treasurer Todd Russ (R) from enforcing the law against OPERS. The ruling upheld a 2024 Oklahoma…

Voters in Oklahoma will decide on a constitutional amendment at a special election on Aug. 25, 2026, to require voters to provide identification to vote by any method. Currently, Oklahoma law requires voters to present identification when voting. The amendment would add this requirement to the state constitution, requiring voters to provide proof of identity…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…