Election law changes? Our legislation tracker’s got you. Check it out!

Braxton Banks

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Braxton Banks
Candidate, Oklahoma House of Representatives District 85
Elections and appointments
Next election
November 3, 2026
Education
High school
Edmond Santa Fe High School
Associates
Oklahoma City Community College, 2018
Other
Duncan Brothers School of Hair Design, 2007
Personal
Birthplace
Memphis, TN
Religion
None
Profession
Barber
Contact

Braxton Banks (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Oklahoma House of Representatives to represent District 85. He declared candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 3, 2026.

Banks completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Braxton Banks was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated from Edmond Santa Fe High School and from the Duncan Brothers School of Hair Design in 2007. He earned an associate degree from Oklahoma City Community College in 2018. In 2023, he earned his master barber and cosmetology instructor licenses. His career experience includes working as an independent stylist and barber. He previously worked at the Schardein & Co. Salon in The Village, Oklahoma, at the Bumble and Bumble Academy in New York City, and with Hairdreams: The Art of Hair Extensions as a lead trainer.[1]

Elections

2026

See also: Oklahoma House of Representatives elections, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 85

Braxton Banks (D), Joshua Harris-Till (D), and Brian Jones (D) are running in the general election for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 85 on November 3, 2026.


Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Braxton Banks completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Banks' responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Braxton Banks is running to represent House District 85 in central Oklahoma, which includes The Village, Nichols Hills, and parts of Oklahoma City. A proud Oklahoman from the age of four, Braxton grew up in Edmond and has spent most of his life right here in the heart of our state. In 2007, Braxton began his career as a hairstylist at Schardein & Co. Salon. What started as a creative pursuit quickly became a lifelong passion for connecting with people. Through thousands of conversations with clients over the years, Braxton developed a deep understanding of the real issues everyday Oklahomans face from rising costs and healthcare concerns to the need for better education and stronger communities.

Braxton earned his degree from Oklahoma City Community College in 2018, and has continued his professional development through ongoing education in the cosmetology field. He’s a firm believer in lifelong learning, personal growth, and staying connected to the people he serves. In 2024, Braxton was elected to The Village City Council and currently serves as Vice Mayor. In this role, he has been a strong voice for transparency, community engagement, and practical solutions to local challenges. His time in city government has shown him that progress happens when leaders listen, collaborate, and put people over politics.

Now, he’s ready to bring that same dedication and real-world experience to the Oklahoma Legislature.
  • Braxton is running for office because he believes public service should be rooted in compassion, common sense, and community. His top priorities include investing in public education, supporting small businesses and working families, expanding access to mental health resources, and building safer, healthier neighborhoods across Oklahoma.
  • Equality and fairness are at the heart of my campaign. Our state works best when everyone is treated with dignity and respect and has the same opportunities to succeed. Whether it’s in education, employment, or community life, no one should be left behind because of who they are, where they come from, or the resources they have.
  • As someone with a background in hairdressing, I know firsthand the value of vocational and technical education. Trade schools and hands-on training programs open doors for students who may not follow a traditional college path but still have incredible talents and ambitions to contribute. By strengthening support for trade schools, apprenticeships, and career-focused education, we can prepare young people for meaningful, well-paying jobs while ensuring businesses across our state have the skilled workers they need.
I am deeply passionate about strengthening Oklahoma’s public education system. I am also passionate about expanding and supporting vocational and technical training. Coming from a background in hairdressing, I know how powerful trade education can be for students who thrive with hands-on learning. Another core area of my policy focus is ensuring that every student feels safe and supported in school. This includes protecting LGBTQIA+ students. Finally, I am committed to advancing policies that promote equality and fairness for every Oklahoman. Everyone, no matter their background, identity, or income, deserves equal opportunities in life.
Elected officials should be passionate, compassionate, and dedicated to, not only their careers, but also the people they will serve while in office. It's important for constituents to be able to trust the people that represent them.
The core responsibilities for our state representatives are to be a voice for the people they serve, no matter who they are. In reality we as legislators serve all residents of the state.
I remember vividly the Oklahoma City Bombing. I was in second grade in Mrs. Klassens class at Washington Irving Elementary school working on a cursive assignment. I remember the teachers going to the window to look out because of the loud bang and they all thought it was a thunderstorm. It was a clear sunny day.
My first job I ever had was in a church daycare. My mom got me the job when I was 15 (because the church would hire at 15). I got to work in the 4-5 year old room and it was so much fun! I only had the job for a few months when I turned 16 then got a car and stated at McDonalds.
The ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature should be symbiosis with one another.
I will model myself after the person who inspired me to get out there and serve my community, Cyndi Munson.
Yes, this is imports to make sure there is check and balances in our democracy.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.


Campaign finance summary

Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on November 18, 2025.


Current members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Kyle Hilbert
Majority Leader:Mark Lawson
Representatives
District 1
District 2
Jim Olsen (R)
District 3
Rick West (R)
District 4
District 5
Josh West (R)
District 6
District 7
District 8
Tom Gann (R)
District 9
District 10
District 11
John Kane (R)
District 12
District 13
Neil Hays (R)
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
Jim Grego (R)
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
Jim Shaw (R)
District 33
District 34
District 35
Vacant
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
District 53
District 54
District 55
District 56
Dick Lowe (R)
District 57
District 58
District 59
District 60
District 61
District 62
District 63
District 64
District 65
District 66
District 67
Rob Hall (R)
District 68
Mike Lay (R)
District 69
District 70
District 71
District 72
District 73
District 74
District 75
T. Marti (R)
District 76
Ross Ford (R)
District 77
District 78
District 79
District 80
Stan May (R)
District 81
District 82
District 83
District 84
District 85
District 86
District 87
District 88
District 89
District 90
District 91
District 92
Vacant
District 93
District 94
District 95
District 96
District 97
District 98
District 99
District 100
District 101
Republican Party (80)
Democratic Party (19)
Vacancies (2)