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Oklahoma Supreme Court elections, 2016
| 2016 State Judicial Elections |
|---|
 |
| Part 1: Overview |
| Part 2: Supreme Courts |
| Part 3: Partisanship |
| Part 4: Changes in 2016 |
Two seats on the Oklahoma Supreme Court were up for retention elections on November 8, 2016. Justice James R. Winchester and Justice Douglas L. Combs faced retention by voters.
Justices who faced retention
■ James R. Winchester 
■ Douglas L. Combs
Election results
November 8 general election
Political composition
Justices in Oklahoma are appointed by the governor and retained by voters thereafter. Justices James Edmondson, Yvonne Kauger, Joseph Watt, Tom Colbert, John Reif, Steven Taylor, Noma D. Gurich, and Douglas L. Combs were appointed by Democratic governors. Justice James R. Winchester was appointed by Republican Governor Frank Keating.
| ■ Chief Justice John Reif | Appointed by Brad Henry (D) in 2008 | |
| ■ Tom Colbert | Appointed by Brad Henry (D) in 2004 | |
| ■ Douglas L. Combs | Appointed by Brad Henry (D) in 2010 | |
| ■ James Edmondson | Appointed by Brad Henry (D) in 2003 | |
| ■ Noma D. Gurich | Appointed by Brad Henry (D) in 2011 | |
| ■ Yvonne Kauger | Appointed by George Nigh (D) in 1984 | |
| ■ Steven Taylor | Appointed by Brad Henry (D) in 2004 | |
| ■ Joseph Watt | Appointed by David Walters (D) in 1992 | |
| ■ James R. Winchester | Appointed by Frank Keating (R) in 2000 |
Selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Oklahoma
The nine justices of the Oklahoma Supreme Court are appointed by the governor from a list of three names compiled by a nominating commission and serve initial terms of at least one year.[1] If voters opt to retain an appointee during the next general election, that judge will go on to serve either a full six-year term or to serve out the unexpired term of his or her predecessor.[2]
State profile
| Demographic data for Oklahoma | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 3,907,414 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 68,595 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 73.1% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 7.2% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.9% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 7.3% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 7.8% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 9.6% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 86.9% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 24.1% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $46,879 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 19.7% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Oklahoma. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Oklahoma
Oklahoma voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Oklahoma coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Oklahoma
- United States congressional delegations from Oklahoma
- Public policy in Oklahoma
- Endorsers in Oklahoma
- Oklahoma fact checks
- More...
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
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Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Oklahoma, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Oklahoma, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma
State courts:
Oklahoma Supreme Court • Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals • Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals • Oklahoma District Courts • Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims
State resources:
Courts in Oklahoma • Oklahoma judicial elections • Judicial selection in Oklahoma
