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In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. Subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
Oklahoma News
SQ 832: Oklahoma voters reject minimum wage hike: By a major margin, Oklahoma voters rejected State Question 832, which would have gradually raised the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour, ending a years-long effort to align the state’s payment floor with neighboring states that have approved increases in recent years. [NonDoc]
- Voters reject effort to hike Oklahoma’s minimum wage [Oklahoma Voice]
- Ballot provision to raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage fails [OPMX via KGOU]
- By the numbers: Minimum wage to stay $7.25 as SQ 832 fails in Oklahoma [The Journal Record]
- Oklahoma’s minimum wage will stay at $7.25 as voters reject increase [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- Oklahomans say no to increasing state minimum wage under SQ 832 [Tulsa World]
Federal Government News
Surging stock market, Trump policies boost wealth for top 1%: When SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket and artificial intelligence company, began trading on the stock market last week, he became the world’s first trillionaire. The SpaceX IPO made the world’s richest man even richer, grabbing headlines worldwide. But it is merely the most vivid illustration of a U.S. trend that has been accelerating since 2022. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Sovereignty Symposium examines tribal sovereignty after McGirt: Though tribal sovereignty continues to be attacked in state and federal courts, panelists at the Sovereignty Symposium said Monday and Tuesday that tribal self-governance remains strong, even as it evolves, just weeks ahead of the United States’ 250th birthday. [The Journal Record]
Voting and Election News
Gubernatorial Election Results
- Voters narrow Oklahoma GOP gubernatorial field [Oklahoma Voice]
- Mazzei, Drummond advance to runoff election for Oklahoma governor [KOSU]
- GOP candidates AG Drummond and Trump-backed Mazzei head to governor’s race runoff [The Journal Record]
- Mazzei and Drummond head to a runoff in their race to be Oklahoma’s next governor [Tulsa Flyer]
- Drummond, Mazzei advance from GOP field for governor [Tulsa World]
- Drummond, Mazzei advance to OKGOP runoff; Dems nominate Munson [NonDoc]
- Oklahoma 2026 Primary Election Results: Cyndi Munson wins Democratic primary for Oklahoma governor [KOCO]
Congressional Election Results
- Kevin Hern wins Oklahoma GOP Senate primary race [The Oklahoman]
- US Senate race: Hern prevails in packed GOP primary; Democrats headed for runoff [Tulsa World]
- Jackson Lahmeyer, Mark Tedford advance in Tulsa-area runoff for U.S. House seat [NonDoc]
- Tedford, Lahmeyer headed to Republican runoff for U.S. House seat [Tulsa World]
- Lahmeyer texting controversy roils CD 1 Republican primary [Tulsa World]
- Nelson beats Martin in CD 5, Hern wins Senate nomination, incumbents easily advance [NonDoc]
- Jena Nelson wins Democratic nomination in Oklahoma 5th District race [The Oklahoman]
Statewide Election Results
- Echols takes Oklahoma AG primary, set to face Democrat in November [Oklahoma Voice]
- Jon Echols wins Republican attorney general nomination [NonDoc]
- Jon Echols wins GOP primary in race for Oklahoma attorney general [Tulsa World]
- GOP leans into legislative experience in choices for Oklahoma attorney general and labor commissioner [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- Oklahoma Republican labor commission election heads to runoff [Oklahoma Voice]
- State superintendent race: An upset from Marshall and a runoff between Franklin and Taylor [Tulsa Flyer]
- Marshall wins Democratic primary for state superintendent [Oklahoma Voice]
- Franklin, Taylor advance to GOP runoff in state superintendent race [Oklahoma Voice]
- Two GOP candidates for superintendent advance to August runoff [The Oklahoman]
- Robert Franklin, James Taylor advance in GOP supt. race, Shannon wins Lt. Gov. nomination [NonDoc]
- T.W. Shannon wins Republican nomination for Oklahoma lieutenant governor [The Oklahoman]
- GOP lands upset in Oklahoma treasurer primary, avoids runoff in lieutenant governor race [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- GOP voters give Russ the Byrd in state treasurer race [NonDoc]
- Oklahoma’s incumbent treasurer loses Republican nomination for reelection [Oklahoma Voice]
- Cindy Byrd defeats incumbent Todd Russ in Oklahoma treasurer primary [The Oklahoman]
- Boles to face Eastman in Oklahoma Corporation Commission general election [Oklahoma Voice]
- Republican Brad Boles and Democrat Rhonda Eastman emerge victorious in Oklahoma Corporation Commission primaries [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- Sullivan, Quinn face runoff in Oklahoma’s insurance commissioner contest [Oklahoma Voice]
- Bob Sullivan, Marty Quinn look to advance in GOP primary for Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner [The Oklahoman]
- Republican runoff for Oklahoma insurance commissioner to feature long-time industry professionals from Tulsa area [The Oklahoma Eagle]
Local Election Results
- Voters dust Deevers, rebuff Freedom Caucus candidates [NonDoc]
- Who won the June 16 primaries for Tulsa’s Oklahoma House and Senate seats? [Tulsa Flyer]
- Larry Stein secures win in Oklahoma County Assessor primary [The Oklahoman]
- OK County Commissioner District 3 Republican primary heads to runoff [The Oklahoman]
- Who won OK County Commission District 1 primary election? See results [The Oklahoman]
- Daniel McClure, James Gilmartin oust incumbent DAs [NonDoc]
- Steve Kunzweiler fends off Colleen McCarty in Tulsa DA race [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- Kunzweiler retains Tulsa County DA’s seat with GOP primary win [Tulsa World]
Incumbency, Presidential Endorsements Beneficial in Oklahoma’s Primary Election: More than 600,000 Oklahomans voted in Tuesday’s primary election, soundly rejecting a state question to raise the minimum wage and narrowing the candidate field in dozens of races that attracted record-breaking spending. In statewide races, incumbents and candidates with previous officeholding experience generally fared well, with the exception of State Treasurer Todd Russ. [Oklahoma Watch]
- Incumbents hold strong in Oklahoma primary elections for House seats [The Oklahoman]
- Election results: GOP incumbents maintain control in Oklahoma Senate [The Oklahoman]
- GOP legislative leadership survives primary challenges [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma voters say civic duty, minimum wage propelled them to polls: In a day when poll workers across Oklahoma City described a steady turnout, voters had change and civic duty on their minds. From the Millwood Field House to Northpark Mall and Mayflower Congregational UCC Church polling sites, voters across the city showed up to make their thoughts on races up and down the ballot known. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma independents cast votes on minimum wage question, denounce closed primaries: While partisan voters weighed in on key state and federal elections during Tuesday’s primary, Oklahoma’s nearly 500,000 registered independents were only eligible to vote on State Question 832, a ballot measure that would gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. [KOSU]
Justice System News
State probe again finds OK county jail ‘not in substantial compliance’: The Oklahoma County jail has now failed a dozen health inspections in a row, according to a report by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. [The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Broken Arrow City Council unanimously approves moratorium on data center proposals [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“People in the past have kind of (said) ‘Aw, somebody else will vote.’ No, your voice needs to be heard; everyone’s voice needs to be heard.”
– Lindsay resident and voter Barry Nettles emphasizing the importance of voting and participating in the democratic process. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
26.0%
Percentage of Oklahoma registered voters who cast a ballot in the June 16 special election for State Question 832. There were 630,085 ballots cast for the special election, but there are 2.4 million registered voters in Oklahoma. This means nearly 3 in 4 registered voters didn’t cast ballots. [Oklahoma Election Board Results | Registration Statistics]
Policy Note
Direct Democracy in the States: A 50-State Survey of the Journey to the Ballot: Direct democracy has become an increasingly important tool for voters seeking to advance policies and protect rights when state legislatures are unwilling or unable to do so. At the same time, many state officials and legislatures have pursued measures that can make citizen-led initiatives more difficult to qualify for or pass, including raising voter approval thresholds, increasing signature requirements, adding new fees and procedural hurdles, altering election timing, and influencing ballot language. Recent disputes illustrate how conflicts over ballot measures often extend beyond policy disagreements into legal and constitutional battles over who controls the initiative process and how it functions. State laws governing ballot measures play a critical role in shaping voter access to direct democracy, the information voters receive, election procedures, and the ability of courts to review disputes. Questions about ballot wording, voter information, impartiality, and judicial oversight are therefore central to whether direct democracy remains a meaningful expression of popular self-government. These issues highlight the importance of process and institutional design in determining how effectively voters can exercise direct democratic powers. [State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School]
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