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Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 28 Republican primary runoff)

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Governor of Oklahoma
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
Libertarian primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: April 13, 2018
Primary: June 26, 2018
Primary runoff: August 28, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Mary Fallin (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Oklahoma
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Inside Elections: Lean Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Oklahoma
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Treasurer
Auditor
Insurance commissioner
Labor commissioner
Superintendent of public instruction
Corporation commissioner

Mortgage industry executive Kevin Stitt (R) defeated Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett (R) in the August 28, 2018, Republican primary runoff for governor of Oklahoma, after no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote in the Republican primary.

Although Cornett and Stitt had similar platforms, education and energy policy helped to distinguish them. Cornett approved of term-limited Gov. Mary Fallin's $474 million tax package to fund raises for teachers, while Stitt said he would have sought to reduce waste before raising taxes.[1]

Cornett's platform included moving away from the oil and gas industry to provide revenue for the state. Stitt said he would strive to create a level playing field for competition.[2]

In the primary election, Cornett received 29 percent of the vote to Stitt's 24 percent. Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb (R), who missed the runoff by 2,400 votes, conceded without endorsing either. Stitt faced former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson (D) in the general election.



Candidates and election results

See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

August 28 primary runoff

Kevin Stitt defeated Mick Cornett in the Republican primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma on August 28, 2018.

Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Kevin Stitt
Kevin Stitt Candidate Connection
 
54.6
 
164,892
Image of Mick Cornett
Mick Cornett
 
45.4
 
137,316

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 302,208
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.

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June 26 primary

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 26, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Mick Cornett
Mick Cornett
 
29.3
 
132,806
✔
Image of Kevin Stitt
Kevin Stitt Candidate Connection
 
24.4
 
110,479
Image of Todd Lamb
Todd Lamb
 
23.9
 
107,985
Image of Dan Fisher
Dan Fisher
 
7.9
 
35,818
Image of Gary Jones
Gary Jones
 
5.6
 
25,243
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Gary Richardson
 
4.0
 
18,185
Image of Blake Cowboy Stephens
Blake Cowboy Stephens
 
2.7
 
12,211
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Christopher Barnett
 
1.2
 
5,240
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Barry Gowdy
 
0.5
 
2,347
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Eric Foutch
 
0.5
 
2,292

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 452,606
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.

Candidate profiles

Republican Party Mick Cornett

Mick Cornett.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

After a two-decade career in journalism, Cornett was elected to the Oklahoma City Council in 2001 and Mayor of Oklahoma City in 2004. He was the longest-serving mayor in the United States in 2018 and spent one term as president of the United States Conference of Mayors.[3]

With "fix the mess" as his campaign slogan, Cornett said, "We have spent too long in this state judging our leadership by how well they deal with a crisis. It’s time we start judging them by their ability to avoid a crisis.”[4]

Cornett identified raising teachers' salaries, improving access to healthcare, including in rural communities, and making the state budgeting process more transparent as some of his policy priorities.[5]

Republican Party Kevin Stitt

Kevin Stitt.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Stitt founded Gateway Mortgage in 2000, developing a nationwide mortgage company that held a loan servicing portfolio of more than $16 billion in 2018.[6]

"I just think the state needs something different. I don't think the guys that got us in this mess—or girls—are going to lead us out of it," Stitt said of what distinguished himself from other candidates. "I just think I'm so much of a different candidate coming from the private sector. I started my company Gateway Mortgage with $1,000 and today we have over 1,100 employees.”[7]

Stitt listed prioritizing government efficiency, raising teacher pay, and recruiting new business to Oklahoma as some of his policy priorities.[8]


Campaign finance


Campaign tactics and strategies

Campaign advertisements

Mick Cornett

Support
"Do It Again" - Cornett campaign ad, released July 30, 2018
"Best Days" - Cornett campaign ad, released June 19, 2018
Oppose
  • Stitt released a negative ad in August 2018, criticizing Cornett for not endorsing Trump in the 2016 presidential election and opposing the border wall.

Kevin Stitt

Support
"Anniversary" - Stitt campaign ad, released July 24, 2018
"Take Your Pick" - Stitt campaign ad, released June 20, 2018
Oppose
"Bull Stitt" - Cornett campaign ad, released August 14, 2018
"Kevin Stitt's Sale" - Oklahoma Values ad, released August 10, 2018

Stitt's business practices

Cornett and the pro-Cornett Oklahoma Values PAC both released ads criticizing the business practices of Stitt's company, Gateway Mortgage. The company was named by Business Insider as one of "15 shadiest mortgage lenders being backed by the government" in 2009. The article said the company had a default rate of 11.9 percent.[9] Stitt attributed the default rate to timing, saying the company had just begun originating Federal Housing Association loans in low volumes.[10]

One ad said that Stitt and his company were banned from doing business in Georgia in 2009. The Georgia ban, which applied to the company for life and Stitt for five years, reportedly stemmed from them making false statements and misrepresenting facts to lenders.[11]

Debates and forums

August 18, 2018, forum

Cornett and Stitt participated in a forum hosted by the Garfield County Republican Party on August 18, 2018, where they discussed their motivations to run for office and health and education standards in the state.

  • Find the Enid News & Eagle round-up of the forum here.
  • Find the Oklahoman round-up of the forum here.
Clip from Garfield County Republican Party forum, August 18, 2018

Satellite spending

  • The Foundation for Economic Prosperity spent $220,000 on an ad buy in the Tulsa market to support Cornett.[12]
  • Oklahoma Values, which received $200,000 from Oklahoma City investor Sue Ann Arnall, released an ad in August 2018 criticizing the default rate of Stitt's mortgage company. The ad says, "If Kevin Stitt couldn’t be trusted to run a business in three other states, how can Oklahomans trust him to run ours now?" Arnall also donated to Democratic gubernatorial nominee Drew Edmondson.[13]

Campaign themes and policy stances


Campaign themes

This section highlights topics that each candidate emphasized during the campaign. They are generally taken verbatim from the candidate's website, but may also be collected from newspaper profiles, candidate forums, media interviews, voter guides, candidate survey responses, and candidate YouTube videos.

Republican Party Mick Cornett

“

Mick's Vision

Oklahoma needs a new direction. Would anyone disagree? The state government is broken to the point that budget shortfalls, worries about education, public health and a variety of core government functions have become commonplace.

Many Oklahomans are worried about our future: what will we be leaving our kids? Will they even stick around to see it? Meanwhile, all we can reliably count on from our leaders at the state capitol is infighting between the House and Senate, between Republicans and Democrats, and even between Republicans and Republicans.

All of this tells me we need to chart a different course with different leaders if we expect anything to change at the state capitol. We need a Governor with proven leadership and a plan to make this state what we all know it can be. We need a consensus builder who can bring people to the table and won’t quit when things get tough. We need someone who can move this state in a new, positive direction.

If you believe Oklahoma’s best days are ahead of us, then join me and thousands of other Okies who are seeking to help us change the future and bring a new direction to Oklahoma.

I’m Mick Cornett, running to be the next Governor of our great state. Will you join me?

Our Plan for Oklahoma

Our Schools

Mick’s mother was a teacher and he understands the importance education plays in growing our economy, promoting a stronger workforce and creating better jobs that keep our kids and grandkids here. Mick believes teachers deserve a raise. He would like to see salaries increased to the regional average with competitive pay increases for STEM teachers.

With advances in technology, education is a lifelong endeavor. Mick wants to raise the expectations for education in our state and create a culture that empowers families and individuals—regardless of age or income— to seek the best educational outcomes.

Our Health

Mick believes we must prioritize health and wellness to reduce medical costs and live up to our full potential as a state. Mick led Oklahoma City through a transformational shift in its approach to obesity. Relying on individual responsibility and improving the built environment, Oklahoma City’s health statistics have improved in nearly every measurement.

Mick wants to create a state that will attract the top doctors and medical care, and he wants all Oklahomans to have access to quality emergency care and hospitals… including rural areas.

Our State Finances

While the state budget process remains a mess, Mick knows budgeting is about priorities and leadership. Mick has played a key role in developing Oklahoma City’s annual budget transparently based on the consensus needs of the community. For years Oklahoma City has received the highest possible credit rating and keeps a rainy day fund equal to 15% of the annual budget. All MAPS projects were completed debt free with complete accountability to the taxpayer.

Contrast Oklahoma City’s transparent management to the state budget process, where a handful of legislators determine the state’s priorities behind closed-doors. Mick believes the state must stop spending more than it takes in and restore accountability to you.

Jobs

In Mick's tenure as Mayor, Oklahoma City created nearly 100,000 new jobs and over 9,400 new businesses. He wants to use his job-creating skills to attract new industry to all of Oklahoma.

Under Mick’s leadership, Oklahoma City diversified its economy expanding thousands of new jobs in aviation and biomedical fields. His ability to promote our state helped create a tourism industry that has grown each year and attracted new dollars to our state.

Something is working in Oklahoma City and we need to take that leadership and vision to our state Capitol. No one sells Oklahoma on a world-wide stage better than Mick Cornett.

Roads and Bridges

President Trump has asked Mick to serve on two national committees dealing with infrastructure: the Federal Committee on Automation and the Infrastructure Summit. The Trump administration believes Oklahoma City is a model for the rest of the country in infrastructure financing. Oklahoma must increase its attention to roads and bridges. Oklahomans in every part of our state deserve good roads. Mick believes better infrastructure leads to more jobs and a stronger economy.

Our Values

Mick is considered nationally to be ‘the most conservative big city mayor in the country.' He is pro-life and a defender of the second amendment.

Mick and his wife, Terri, attend Skyline Church, a non-denominational Bible church in Oklahoma City. Terri calls Mick, 'the most Godly man I know.'

Our Future

Mick believes Oklahoma can become the envy of our region with vision and leadership. Our children and grandchildren are our future and making sure they have the tools to take our state into the next generation is Mick’s goal. We want our best and brightest to stay in Oklahoma and continue to grow our beloved state.[14]

”
—Mick for Governor[15]

Republican Party Kevin Stitt

“

PRIORITIZING GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY

The success of state agencies shouldn’t be just about bigger budgets. Success is when the state consistently delivers core service to Oklahomans in a cost-effective, efficient manner. Without line-item budgeting, it’s impossible to know which agencies steward their resources well, which is why I will fight for accountability and transparency. I will implement and standardize audits and hold each agency accountable for how our tax dollars are spent, just like I have done in the private sector the last 19 years.

  • Reduce and streamline the 400 agencies, boards, and commissions.
  • Give the governor more accountability to fire underperforming agency leaders that are in appointed positions.
  • Audit all agencies, establish performance metrics for each agency and hold the agency heads and board members accountable for meeting goals that move us toward being a Top Ten state.
  • Budget all state funds. Currently, much of the budget is untouchable by the Legislature. It is time every state agency is held accountable and transparency is enforced.
  • Require a line item budget. Currently, the General Appropriations bill gives more than 80 state agencies a big chunk of money. It is hard for the Legislature or the public to see how the money will be used. A line item budget will allow the public to see the spending and for elected officials to more effectively eliminate wasteful spending.

REFORMING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM

Oklahoma leads the nation in cuts to education funding. Our teachers are underpaid and leaving the state in droves. Too much money fails to reach the classrooms and some school districts have resorted to four-day school weeks. Our leaders are failing our students, our families, and jeopardizing our future. Enough is enough. I will prioritize students and funding for the classroom and invest in the teachers that make a difference every day. It’s time to restore respect to teachers!

  • Raise teacher pay so that it matches the pay of teachers in our six-state footprint. With 95 percent of Oklahoma children attending public schools, we must ensure those on the front lines of teaching our children receive the support they need to succeed.
  • Require line item budgeting for the Education Department. With added transparency and accountability, we will be able to better force more education dollars into the classroom room from the $2.5 billion that goes to the Department of Education.
  • Review ways to empower local communities to best fund the needs of their local schools. I love what we are seeing in Western Oklahoma where energy development is taking schools off the state funding formula and allowing for higher teacher pay. But we still have many counties without these commodities. I like the policy proposed by a conservative group of House legislators to give schools the flexibility to use part of their current property tax revenue on teacher pay instead of being restricted to buildings and infrastructure.
  • Expand the use of video technology to deliver AP classes across our state, especially in rural areas where we have bright, hardworking youth but not enough certified teachers. Our farmers and ranchers should not be faced with putting their children on a bus for more than an hour just to access quality education opportunities. Technology must play a stronger role in how we look to the future of delivering our state’s basic, vital public services.
  • Recruit, train and retain great teachers. In a Stitt administration, Kevin will call for the Legislature to create a temporary program to provide $5,000 bonuses to certified teachers who are teaching in Oklahoma for the first time. This will help to incentivize the 400 students graduating from our Oklahoma universities with education degrees to stay and boost our state’s recruitment efforts. A recent survey shows Oklahoma has 536 vacant teaching positions for the next school year. We have gone from 32 emergency certifications six years ago to nearly 2,000 today. Kevin is ready to help lead the state in reversing the trend.

EXPANDING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

As I travel the country visiting my 165 field offices for Gateway Mortgage, I see firsthand the growth and momentum many of the other states are experiencing. In 2016, Oklahoma had -3% GDP growth. In 2017, our state faced a $900 million budget deficit. Too many of our children and grandchildren are leaving the state for better opportunities. I refuse to sit back and let this continue. As governor, I will be committed to growth and prosperity for our entire state. How are we going to do this?

  • Capitalize on President Trump’s tax cuts that are leveling the playing field for America to compete in the global market place. With companies moving jobs back to the U.S. and repatriating dollars, Oklahoma is prime to attract this opportunity and diversify our economy with the right kind of leadership. On my first day as governor, the nation will know that Oklahoma is open for business.
  • Recruit, recruit, recruit. Several years ago, Oklahoma ended its business recruitment programs in other states. Around the same time, Texas and Arkansas ramped up their recruitment efforts. As governor, I will be committed to being on the front lines of recruiting new business to Oklahoma. As a CEO, I will know how to speak the language of job creators and ensure our state signs good contracts that won’t put us at a disadvantage in the future.
  • Licensing reform, leveraging the new data base built by the Labor Commission. We need to cut unnecessary red tape and remove wasteful licensing fees for job creators in Oklahoma. The percentage of the Oklahoma workforce licensed by the state is 25 percent — higher than all but 11 states.

ADVANCING PRO-LIFE PRIORITIES

As a Christian and father of six, Kevin knows that there is no gift more precious than a child. Kevin Stitt is strongly pro-life. He believes human life begins at conception and he will fight to protect the rights of the unborn in Oklahoma and across the nation.

PROTECTING SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS

Kevin Stitt will fight to protect Oklahomans’ Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. He is a member of the National Rifle Association.

IMPROVING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE

Our infrastructure needs immediate attention. Our economic future and the safety of our citizens are at stake. Budget holes and political gamesmanship have crippled maintenance and improvements in roads, bridges, dams and other vital infrastructure. We can no longer kick the can down the road. I will implement a comprehensive, long-term infrastructure plan that provides solutions for our community and paves the way for the high level economic growth that Oklahoma needs.

FOSTERING A HEALTHY OKLAHOMA

State Medicaid spending is out of control. Since 2003, our Medicaid spending ballooned 194% from $714 million to $2.1 billion. No other area of the state budget grew as quickly forcing hospitals to cut core services. I will fight to provide options to our families with quality healthcare while protecting our most vulnerable. For those that fall on hard times, Medicaid must be a trampoline, not a hammock. I will put a stop to the fraud, waste and abuse to ensure the health and future of Oklahomans.

  • Audit Medicaid. Both Republican and Democrat states are doing this. The Pew Charitable Trusts reports that Oklahoma had the 11th largest increase in state Medicaid spending as a share of the total state budget over the last decade.
  • Address the $30 million mess at the Department of Health and get the agency on track to being a Top Ten performing agency for the state. Establish performance metrics and hold the agency leaders accountable.
  • Sell health insurance across state lines to stimulate competition and reduce premiums. The Legislature passed a bill in 2017 authorizing the selling of insurance across state lines, but there are many obstacles to its implementation. I will work with the new insurance commissioner to negotiate compacts with other states to bring about this much-needed competition.
  • Bring more telemedicine to rural Oklahoma.[14]
 ”
—Kevin Stitt for Governor[16]


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Oklahoma gubernatorial election, Republican primary runoff, 2018
Poll Stitt CornettUndecidedMargin of ErrorSample Size
Right Strategy Group
August 1-2, 2018		 41%32%26%+/-5.0385
Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org


Context of the 2018 election

  • Heading into the 2018 election, the sitting governor was Mary Fallin (R), who was first elected in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Fallin was prevented from seeking re-election in 2018 by term limits.
  • Oklahoma had been won by the Republican candidate in each of the five presidential elections leading up to the 2018 election. The widest margin of victory was Donald Trump's 36 percent margin in 2016 while the narrowest was George W. Bush's 22 percent margin in 2000.
  • Oklahoma was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

Past elections

2014

See also: Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2014

Mary Fallin ran for re-election as governor of Oklahoma in the 2014 election. In the Republican primary, Fallin defeated Chad Moody and Dax Ewbank by a 60.1 percent margin.[17]

Governor of Oklahoma, Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngMary Fallin 75.5% 200,035
Chad Moody 15.4% 40,839
Dax Ewbank 9.1% 24,020
Total Votes 264,894
Election results via Oklahoma State Election Board.


Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. In Oklahoma, the Republican Party conducts a closed primary, in which only registered party members may participate. The Democratic Party holds a semi-closed primary, in which unaffiliated voters may participate.[18]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

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.[19]

Registration requirements

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.[20]

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..[14] ”
—Oklahoma State Election Board[20]

Once an applicant has been successfully registered, the county election board will mail him or her a voter identification card.[20]

Automatic registration

Oklahoma does not practice automatic voter registration.[21]

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Oklahoma has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.[22]

Same-day registration

Oklahoma does not allow same-day voter registration.[21]

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Oklahoma, you must be a resident of the state.[20]

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."[23]

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.[24] 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.[25] 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[25]

Early voting

Oklahoma permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Oklahoma. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[26]

Applications for absentee ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on the third Monday preceding an election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by election officials before 7 p.m. on Election Day.[26]

Although all Oklahoma voters are eligible to vote absentee, those who are physically incapacitated, living in a nursing home, or serving in the military or living overseas may request a special absentee ballot designed for their circumstances.[26]


State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Oklahoma heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

  • Republicans controlled both chambers of the Oklahoma State Legislature. They had a 72-27 majority in the state House and a 38-8 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

  • Oklahoma was a Republican trifecta, meaning that the Republican Party controlled the office of the governor, the state House, and the state Senate.

2018 elections

See also: Oklahoma elections, 2018

Oklahoma held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Oklahoma
 OklahomaU.S.
Total population:3,907,414316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):68,5953,531,905
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.

As of July 2016, Oklahoma's three largest cities were Oklahoma City (pop. est. 643,648), Tulsa (pop. est. 401,800), and Norman (pop. est. 122,843).[27][28]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Oklahoma from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Oklahoma State Election Board.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Oklahoma every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Oklahoma 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 65.3% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 28.9% 36.4%
2012 Republican Party Mitt Romney 66.8% Democratic Party Barack Obama 33.2% 33.6%
2008 Republican Party John McCain 65.6% Democratic Party Barack Obama 34.3% 31.3%
2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 65.6% Democratic Party John Kerry 34.4% 31.2%
2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 60.3% Democratic Party Al Gore 38.4% 21.9%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Oklahoma from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Oklahoma 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party James Lankford 67.7% Democratic Party Mike Workman 24.6% 43.1%
2014 Republican Party Jim Inhofe 68.0% Democratic Party Matt Silverstein 28.5% 39.5%
2010 Republican Party Tom Coburn 70.6% Democratic Party Jim Rogers 26.1% 44.5%
2008 Republican Party Jim Inhofe 56.7% Democratic Party Andrew Rice 39.2% 17.5%
2004 Republican Party Tom Coburn 52.8% Democratic Party Brad Carson 41.2% 11.6%
2002 Republican Party Jim Inhofe 57.3% Democratic Party David Walters 36.3% 21.0%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Oklahoma.

Election results (Governor), Oklahoma 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Mary Fallin 55.8% Democratic Party Joe Dorman 41.0% 14.8%
2010 Republican Party Mary Fallin 60.4% Democratic Party Jari Askins 39.6% 20.8%
2006 Democratic Party Brad Henry 66.5% Republican Party Ernest Istook 33.5% 33.0%
2002 Democratic Party Brad Henry 44.3% Republican Party Steve Largent 42.6% 1.7%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Oklahoma in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Oklahoma 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 5 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+5
2014 Republican Party 5 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+5
2012 Republican Party 5 100% Democratic Party 0 0% R+5
2010 Republican Party 4 80% Democratic Party 1 20% R+1
2008 Republican Party 4 80% Democratic Party 1 20% R+1
2006 Republican Party 4 80% Democratic Party 1 20% R+1
2004 Republican Party 4 80% Democratic Party 1 20% R+1
2002 Republican Party 4 80% Democratic Party 1 20% R+1
2000 Republican Party 5 83.3% Democratic Party 1 16.7% R+1

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Oklahoma Party Control: 1992-2024
Five years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Governor D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no Pivot Counties in Oklahoma. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Oklahoma with 65.3 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 28.9 percent. In presidential elections between 1904 and 2016, Oklahoma voted for the winning presidential candidate 72.4 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Oklahoma supported Republican candidates for president more often than Democratic candidates, 65.5 to 34.5 percent. The state favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Oklahoma. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[29][30]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 8 out of 101 state House districts in Oklahoma with an average margin of victory of 37.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 11 out of 101 state House districts in Oklahoma with an average margin of victory of 27.7 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 93 out of 101 state House districts in Oklahoma with an average margin of victory of 37.3 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 90 out of 101 state House districts in Oklahoma with an average margin of victory of 42.2 points. Trump won 18 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Oklahoma governor Republican primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 28 Republican primary runoff) - Google News

See also

Oklahoma government:

Elections:

Ballotpedia exclusives:

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Oklahoma Watch, "Four Takeaways from the GOP Gubernatorial Debate," April 24, 2018
  2. ↑ The Oklahoman, "Lamb all in for energy industry, while gubernatorial rivals offer varying levels of support," June 8, 2018
  3. ↑ Mick 2018, "Pick Mick," accessed June 9, 2018
  4. ↑ KRMG, "Gubernatorial Candidate Cornett's Platform: 'Fix the Mess,'" accessed June 9, 2018
  5. ↑ Mick 2018, "Mick's Vision," accessed June 9, 2018
  6. ↑ Stitt for Governor, "About Kevin," accessed June 9, 2018
  7. ↑ The Oklahoman, "Is Oklahoma ready to elect a wealthy outsider to high office?" January 14, 2018
  8. ↑ Stitt for Governor, "Issues," accessed June 9, 2018
  9. ↑ Business Insider, "The 15 Shadiest Mortgage Lenders Being Backed By The Government, "December 11, 2009
  10. ↑ The Oklahoman, "Cornett ad calls 'Bull Stitt' on rival," August 15, 2018
  11. ↑ News on 6, "Truth Test: Kevin Stitt’s Business Record," accessed August 27, 2018
  12. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections Live Digest: 7/30," July 30, 2018
  13. ↑ The Oklahoman, "Pro-Cornett group backs ad attacking Stitt's mortgage company," August 10, 2018
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  15. ↑ Mick 2018, "Plan," accessed June 9, 2018
  16. ↑ Stitt for Governor, "Issues," accessed June 9, 2018
  17. ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Official Results - Primary Election - June 24, 2014," July 7, 2014
  18. ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board Website, "Voter Registration in Oklahoma," accessed April 27, 2023
  19. ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed April 27, 2023
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Oklahoma State Election Board, "Voter Registration in Oklahoma," accessed April 27, 2023
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 8, 2024
  22. ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Phase One of Online Vote Registration is LIVE!" accessed June 8, 2023
  23. ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Oklahoma Voter Registration Application," accessed November 2, 2024
  24. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Oklahoma State Election Board, "Facts about Proof of Identity for Voting in Oklahoma," accessed April 27, 2023
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Oklahoma State Election Board, “Absentee Voting,” accessed April 27, 2023
  27. ↑ Oklahoma Demographics, "Oklahoma Cities by Population," accessed August 30, 2018
  28. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Oklahoma," accessed August 30, 2018
  29. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  30. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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