Oklahoma State Question 832, $15 Minimum Wage Initiative (June 2026)

Oklahoma State Question 832
Election date June 16, 2026
Topic Minimum wage laws
Status On the ballot
Type Initiated state statute	Origin Citizens

State Question 832, the $15 Minimum Wage Initiative, is on the ballot in Oklahoma as an initiated state statute on June 16, 2026.

A "yes" vote supports the following: increasing the minimum wage to $12 in 2027, $13.50 per hour in 2028, $15 per hour in 2029, and adjusting future increases based on changes to inflation; and removing certain exceptions from the Oklahoma Minimum Wage Act that did not include certain workers (such as part-time employees, students, minors, farm and agricultural workers, domestic service workers, newspaper vendors and carriers, and feedstore employees) in the definition of 'employee.'

A "no" vote opposes the following: increasing the minimum wage to $12 in 2027, $13.50 per hour in 2028, $15 per hour in 2029, and adjusting future increases based on changes to inflation; and removing certain exceptions from the Oklahoma Minimum Wage Act that did not include certain workers in the definition of 'employee.'

Overview

How would the initiative change the state's minimum wage?

See also: Text of measure

The ballot measure was designed to increase the state minimum wage to $9 per hour in 2025, $10.50 per hour in 2026, $12 per hour in 2027, $13.50 per hour in 2028, and $15 per hour in 2029. Beginning in 2030, the wage would be adjusted based on changes to inflation.

Governor Stitt's executive order placing the measure on the June 2026 ballot included a provision stating that, if the initiative is approved, it would take effect on January 1, 2027, and would not apply retroactively, meaning if the measure is approved, the state's minimum wage would not increase in 2025 or 2026 but would increase to $12 per hour on January 1, 2027.

The initiative would remove the exceptions from the Oklahoma Minimum Wage Act that did not include the following workers in the definition of 'employee' (meaning the following types of workers would be considered employees under the initiative):

• part-time employees;
• certain students and individuals under 18;
• farm and agricultural workers;
• domestic service workers;
• newspaper vendors and carriers; and
• feedstore employees.

How does Oklahoma's minimum wage compare to other states?

See also: Background

The minimum wage in Oklahoma has been $7.25 (the federal minimum wage) since 2009. As of 2024, Oklahoma was one of 20 states that use the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25. The other 30 states provide for state minimum wages above the federal minimum wage.

The average state minimum wage in 2024 is $10.69.

Across the U.S., from 1996 to 2022, there were 28 minimum wage increase measures on the ballot. Voters approved 26 (92.86%) and rejected two (7.14%).

What are supporters and opponents saying about this initiative?

See also: Support and Opposition

Raise The Wage Oklahoma is leading the Yes on SQ 832 campaign. Raise the Wage Oklahoma spokesperson Amber England said, "The costs of gas, groceries and housing have all gone up, but wages have largely stayed the same. Voters across the state are excited to vote yes to help lift the wages of workers doing essential jobs like caring for the most vulnerable among us in nursing homes and hospitals and those working in industries that care for Oklahoma’s young children in childcare."

The Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce oppose the initiative. Ben Lepak, the executive director of the State Chamber Research Foundation, said, "This is a disastrous policy that will crush working families through price increases on the heels of record inflation. This ballot initiative is bad for workers, bad for business, and bad for Oklahoma, and we are confident the voters of the State of Oklahoma will concur with our position. We look forward to a vigorous campaign to educate Oklahomans about the initiative that will put corner stores and family farms out of business."

Text of measure

Full text

The full text of the measure is available here.

Support

Yes on SQ 832 - Raise The Wage Oklahoma is leading the campaign in support of the initiative.

Supporters

Unions

• National Education Association
• Oklahoma AFL-CIO

Organizations

• Oklahoma Decides Inc.
• Tulsa Community Foundation

Arguments

• Raise the Wage Oklahoma spokesperson Amber England: "The costs of gas, groceries and housing have all gone up, but wages have largely stayed the same. Voters across the state are excited to vote yes to help lift the wages of workers doing essential jobs like caring for the most vulnerable among us in nursing homes and hospitals and those working in industries that care for Oklahoma’s young children in childcare."
• Raise The Wage Oklahoma: "Costs are skyrocketing – but wages haven’t kept up. Working Oklahomans need a raise. Thousands of Oklahomans work full-time and earn less than $15,100 a year on minimum wage. People who work for a living should earn a living. The cost of groceries, gas, and housing keep going up – but wages haven’t kept up. Raising the minimum wage helps hard-working Oklahomans feed their families and pay for housing. Oklahoma parents shouldn’t have to work two jobs to put food on the table. Too many Oklahoma parents work – often at more than one job – but struggle to stay afloat when they earn $290 a week. Raising the minimum wage makes our communities stronger. Hourly employees, like healthcare and childcare workers, are the foundation of our communities. They work for a living and should be able to make a living."

Opposition

Opponents

Organizations

• Oklahoma Farm Bureau
• Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce

Arguments

• Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce: "This is a disastrous policy that will crush working families through price increases on the heels of record inflation. This ballot initiative is bad for workers, bad for business, and bad for Oklahoma, and we are confident the voters of the State of Oklahoma will concur with our position. We look forward to a vigorous campaign to educate Oklahomans about the initiative that will put corner stores and family farms out of business. SQ 832 harms small businesses and family farms because drives up the cost of everything on the heels of already high inflation. This harms consumers who struggle to pay more for gas and groceries, small businesses, whose costs will increase, and family farms, who already operate on very thin margins."

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Oklahoma ballot measures

The campaign finance information on this page reflects the most recent scheduled reports that Ballotpedia has processed, which covered through June 30, 2024. The deadline for the next scheduled reports was October 28, 2024.

Yes on SQ 832- Raise The Wage Oklahoma registered to support the initiative. The committee reported $1.34 million in contributions.

Ballotpedia has not identified a campaign registered to oppose the initiative.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$1,340,560.00	$0.00	$1,340,560.00	$958,611.60	$958,611.60
Oppose	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total	$1,340,560.00	$0.00	$1,340,560.00	$958,611.60	$958,611.60

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of the initiative.

Committees in support of State Question 832
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Yes on SQ 832 - Raise The Wage Oklahoma	$1,340,560.00	$0.00	$1,340,560.00	$958,611.60	$958,611.60
Total	$1,340,560.00	$0.00	$1,340,560.00	$958,611.60	$958,611.60

Donors

The five top donors to the support campaign were as follows:

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Tulsa Community Foundation	$400,000.00	$0.00	$400,000.00
Lynn Schustermann	$375,000.00	$0.00	$375,000.00
National Education Association	$250,000.00	$0.00	$250,000.00
Oklahoma Decides Inc.	$250,000.00	$0.00	$250,000.00
Oklahoma AFL-CIO	$15,000.00	$0.00	$15,000.00

Opposition

Ballotpedia has not identified a campaign registered to oppose the initiative.

Methodology

To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.

Background

Minimum wage in Oklahoma

The minimum wage in Oklahoma has been $7.25, the federal minimum wage, since 2009. As of 2024, Oklahoma was one of 20 states that use the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25. The other 30 states provide for state minimum wages above the federal minimum wage.

Oklahoma's minimum wages have followed the federal minimum wages:

• $5.85 per hour effective July 24, 2007;
• $6.55 per hour effective July 24, 2008; and
• $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009.

Oklahoma's tipped minimum wage is $2.13 per hour.

Minimum wages in 2024

The average state minimum wage in 2024 is $10.69.

The top five highest 2024 statewide minimum wages were set to be as follows:

• $17.00 in Washington, D.C.;
• $17.00 in Washington;
• $16.00 in California,
• $15.69 in Connecticut; and
• $15.13 in New Jersey.

The lowest minimum wages based on state law were $5.15 in Georgia and Wyoming, which were lower than the federal government's requirement. When the state rate is lower than the federal rate, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 supersedes state law for most types of employees. Twenty (20) states, including Oklahoma, used the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25.

The map below shows state minimum wages in 2024.

Outcomes of minimum wage measures, 1996-2023

From 1996 to 2024, there were 32 ballot measures to increase state minimum wages. Voters approved 28 (87.50%) and rejected four (12.50%). In 2024, California and Massachusetts became the first states to reject minimum wage increase ballot measures since 1996. The other two defeated measures were on the ballot in 1996 in Missouri and Montana.

The following chart shows election outcomes for minimum wage increase ballot measures from 1996 to 2024.

Measures to increase state minimum wages (1996-2024)
Year	State	Measure	Wage	Type	Yes votes (%)	No votes (%)	Outcome
2024	California	Proposition 32	$18.00 (2026)	Initiative	N/A	N/A	d
2024	Massachusetts	Question 5	$15.00 (2029) for Tipped Employees	Initiative	N/A	N/A	d
2024	Missouri	Proposition A	$15.00 (2026)	Initiative	N/A	N/A	a
2024	Alaska	Ballot Measure 1	$15.00 (2027)	Initiative	N/A	N/A	a
2022	Nebraska	Initiative 433	$15.00 (2026)	Initiative	58.66%	41.34%	a
2022	Nevada	Amendment 2	$12.00 (2024)	Referral	55.18%	44.82%	a
2020	Florida	Amendment 2	$15.00 (2026)	Initiative	60.82%	39.18%	a
2018	Arkansas	Issue 5	$11.00 (2021)	Initiative	68.46%	31.54%	a
2018	Missouri	Proposition B	$12.00 (2023)	Initiative	62.34%	37.66%	a
2016	Arizona	Proposition 206	$12.00 (2020)	Initiative	58.33%	41.67%	a
2016	Colorado	Amendment 70	$12.00 (2020)	Initiative	55.36%	44.64%	a
2016	Maine	Question 4	$12.00 (2020)	Initiative	55.50%	44.50%	a
2016	Washington	Initiative 1433	$13.50 (2020)	Initiative	57.42%	42.58%	a
2014	Alaska	Measure 3	$9.75 (2016)	Initiative	69.35%	30.65%	a
2014	Arkansas	Issue 5	$8.50 (2017)	Initiative	65.94%	34.06%	a
2014	Nebraska	Initiative 425	$9.00 (2016)	Initiative	59.47%	40.53%	a
2014	South Dakota	Measure 18	$8.50 (2015)	Initiative	55.05%	44.95%	a
2013	New Jersey	Question 2	$8.25 (2014)	Referral	61.26%	38.74%	a
2006	Arizona	Proposition 2022	$6.75 (2007)	Initiative	65.37%	34.63%	a
2006	Colorado	Initiative 42	$6.85 (2007)	Initiative	53.30%	46.70%	a
2006	Missouri	Proposition B	$6.50 (2007)	Initiative	75.94%	24.06%	a
2006	Montana	I-151	$6.50 (2007)	Initiative	72.69%	27.31%	a
2006	Nevada	Question 6	$6.15 (2006)	Initiative	68.71%	31.29%	a
2006	Ohio	Amendment 2	$6.85 (2007)	Initiative	56.65%	43.35%	a
2004	Florida	Amendment 5	$6.15 (2005)	Initiative	71.25%	28.75%	a
2004	Nevada	Question 6	$6.15 (2006)	Initiative	68.4%	31.6%	a
2002	Oregon	Measure 25	$6.90 (2003)	Initiative	51.3%	48.7%	a
1998	Washington	Initiative 688	$6.50 (2000)	Initiative	66.1%	33.9%	a
1996	California	Proposition 210	$5.75 (1998)	Initiative	61.45%	38.55%	a
1996	Missouri	Proposition A	$6.75 (1999)	Initiative	28.70%	71.30%	d
1996	Montana	I-121	$6.25 (2000)	Initiative	43.53%	56.47%	d
1996	Oregon	Measure 36	$6.50 (1999)	Initiative	56.85%	43.15%	a

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Oklahoma

Process in Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated state statute for the ballot is equal to 8 percent of the votes cast for governor in the previous gubernatorial election. Signatures must be submitted 90 days after the initiative is cleared for circulation by the secretary of state. Measures are generally placed on the next general election ballot following signature verification, but the governor may call a special election or place the measure on the primary ballot. If petitioners are targeting a specific election, the secretary of state recommends that signatures be submitted eight months prior to the election. For a measure to appear on the ballot, signatures must be submitted long enough in advance for the governor to issue an election proclamation, which must be issued and certified to the State Election Board at least 70 days prior to an election.

The requirements to get an initiated state statute certified for the 2024 ballot:

• Signatures: 92,263 valid signatures
• Deadline: Each initiative has its own deadline that is 90 days after it was approved to circulate.

The secretary of state verifies signatures and submits the totals and the vote totals that determine the requirement to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which makes the final determination of sufficiency.

Details about this initiative

• The initiative was filed on October 27, 2023.
• The initiative was cleared for signature gathering between April 16 and July 14, 2024.
• Proponents reported submitting about 180,000 signatures to the Secretary of State's office on July 15, 2024.
• The secretary of state verified that proponents submitted 157,287 valid signatures on August 12, 2024.
• On August 15, 2024, the Oklahoma Supreme Court concurred that enough valid signatures were submitted and ordered publication of the measure with a 10-day challenge period to begin following publication.
• On September 5, 2024, the secretary of state's office certified to the state election board that the initiative had collected the required valid signatures and that no legal challenges were filed during the protest period.
• The measure was not eligible to appear on the November 5 ballot because the deadline for the governor’s election proclamation must be issued and certified to the state election board at least 70 days (August 26 for the November 5 election) prior to an election in order for a state question to appear on a ballot. On September 11, 2024, Governor Kevin Stitt set the election date for the measure as June 16, 2026, the state's gubernatorial primary election.

Lawsuit

Lawsuit overview
Issue: Whether the initiative unconstitutionally delegates legislative power to federal officials
Court: Oklahoma Supreme Court
Ruling: Ruled in favor of defendants
Plaintiff(s): The Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce and Oklahoma Farm Bureau	Defendant(s): State elections officials and initiative proponents

  Source: Oklahoma Farm Bureau

On November 20, 2023, the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce and Oklahoma Farm Bureau filed a lawsuit in the Oklahoma Supreme Court seeking to disqualify the initiative, alleging that it unconstitutionally delegates legislative powers to federal officials. The Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s vice president of public policy, Steve Thompson, said, "Oklahoma Farm Bureau members understand the importance of fair compensation for honest work as farmers and ranchers rely on dependable, hardworking individuals to ensure their agricultural operations run smoothly and efficiently. State Question 832 seeks to raise minimum compensation through national economic projections that are unrepresentative of Oklahoma’s economy, and these burdensome government mandates will only intensify the inflationary pressures Oklahomans are already facing."

In Oklahoma, initiatives cannot begin circulation until the Secretary of State sets the date for circulation to begin, which may not be more than 30 days after all protests and appeals have been resolved.

The state supreme court ruled that the initiative was legally sufficient on March 4, 2024.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Oklahoma

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Oklahoma.

How to vote in Oklahoma

Poll times

In Oklahoma, all polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Oklahoma, one must be at least 18 years old, a United States citizen, and a resident of Oklahoma.

The deadline for registration is 25 days prior to the election.

“	You can fill out a Voter Registration Application using the OK Voter Portal "wizard." (Be sure to print, sign, and mail or hand-deliver the application to your County Election Board to complete the process.) Voter registration applications are also available at your County Election Board, most tag agencies, post offices, and libraries and can be downloaded from the State Election Board website..	”
—Oklahoma State Election Board

Once an applicant has been successfully registered, the county election board will mail him or her a voter identification card.

Automatic registration

Oklahoma does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Oklahoma has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Oklahoma does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Oklahoma, you must be a resident of the state.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Oklahoma does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who submits false information commits a "felony punishable by not more than five years in prison, by a fine of not more than $50,000, or both."

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Oklahoma State Election Board allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

Voter ID requirements

Oklahoma requires voters to present identification while voting. Generally, voters are required to present a photo ID, but there is an exception to this requirement.

Valid forms of identification include government-issued photo IDs and county election board voter identification cards (which do not include photographs).

Voters can present a document issued by the United States government, the State of Oklahoma, or a federally recognized tribal government. The document must include the following information:

• Name
• Photograph
• Expiration date that is after the date of the election

See also

2026 ballot measures

View other measures certified for the 2026 ballot across the U.S. and in Oklahoma.

• 2026 ballot measures
• Oklahoma 2026 ballot measures
• Oklahoma elections, 2026

Oklahoma ballot measures

Explore Oklahoma's ballot measure history, including citizen-initiated ballot measures.

• List of Oklahoma ballot measures
• Oklahoma Historical Ballot Measures Factbook
• Minimum wage laws ballot measures
• Oklahoma State Legislature

Initiative process

Understand how measures are placed on the ballot and the rules that apply.

• Laws governing the initiative process in Oklahoma
• Initiated state statute
• Oklahoma Constitution

External links

• State Question 832 information and full text
• Oklahoma Secretary of State: State Questions

Footnotes

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