Oklahoma state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 12
- Early voting: Nov. 1 - Nov. 3
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: No
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| 2018 Oklahoma State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | June 26, 2018 |
| Primary Runoff | August 28, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Democratic primary elections for the seats in the Oklahoma State Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives were on June 26, 2018, and the Democratic primary runoff elections were on August 28, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Oklahoma, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was April 13, 2018. In the state Senate, 24 of 48 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 101 seats were up for election.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Three state Senate Democrats did not seek re-election in 2018.
- John Sparks (District 16)
- Randy Bass (District 32)
- Anastasia Pittman (District 48)
Ten state House Democrats did not seek re-election in 2018.
- Chuck Hoskin (District 6)
- Ed Cannaday (District 15)
- Brian Renegar (District 17)
- Cory Williams (District 34)
- Claudia Griffith (District 45)[1]
- Eric Proctor (District 77)
- Meloyde Blancett (District 78)
- William T. Fourkiller (District 86)
- Scott Inman (District 94)
- George Young (District 99)
Incumbents defeated
No incumbents were defeated in the primaries.
Competitiveness
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 125 | 43 | 419 | 49 | 68 | 46.8% | 36 | 43.9% |
| 2016 | 126 | 42 | 374 | 28 | 57 | 33.7% | 28 | 33.3% |
| 2014 | 126 | 31 | 256 | 12 | 34 | 18.3% | 13 | 13.7% |
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma State Senate as of November 2025:
Oklahoma House of Representatives
| Party | As of November 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 80 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 1 | |
| Total | 101 | |
Oklahoma State Senate
| Party | As of November 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 8 | |
| Republican Party | 40 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 48 | |
Battleground races
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Oklahoma state legislative Democratic primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Oklahoma state legislative Democratic primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
Media coverage
This section provides an overview of media reactions to the Oklahoma state legislative Democratic primaries.[2] Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that have emerged surrounding the elections.
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.[3][4]
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. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[5]
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.[6]
The deadline for registration is 25 days prior to the election.
| “ |
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” |
| —Oklahoma State Election Board[6] | ||
Once an applicant has been successfully registered, the county election board will mail him or her a voter identification card.[6]
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter registration
Oklahoma does not practice automatic voter registration.[8]
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
- See also: Same-day voter registration
Oklahoma does not allow same-day voter registration.[9]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Oklahoma, you must be a resident of the state.[6] State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship
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."[10]
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.[11] 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. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. 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 the OK Voter Portal.
Voter ID requirements
Oklahoma requires voters to present identification while voting.[12] 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).
| “ | A document used for proof of identity for voting must have been issued by the United States government, the State of Oklahoma, or a federally recognized tribal government.
The law requires a document used for proof of identity for voting to contain the following information:
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” |
To view Oklahoma law pertaining to voter identification, click here.
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.[13]
Applications for absentee ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on the third Monday preceding an election. After that deadline, voters who become physically incapacitated or who are first responders or emergency workers may still be eligible to apply for an absentee ballot. A mailed absentee ballot must be received by the county election board before 7 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballots delivered by hand must be received by the county election board before the close of business on the Monday before the election.[13]
Although all Oklahoma voters are eligible to vote absentee, those who are visually impaired, living in a nursing home, or serving in the military or living overseas may request a special absentee ballot designed for their circumstances.[13]
See also
- Oklahoma state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- Oklahoma House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2018
- Oklahoma State Legislature
- Oklahoma elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Griffith passed away on July 14, 2018.
- ↑ In selecting articles for inclusion in this section, Ballotpedia has drawn from a variety of sources and viewpoints to identify articles that are representative of broader trends in media coverage.
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Okla. Stat. tit. 26, § 1–104," accessed October 31, 2025
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Primary and Runoff Primary Elections," accessed October 31, 2025
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Okla. Stat. tit. 26, § 7–104," accessed October 31, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Oklahoma State Election Board, "Voter Registration in Oklahoma," accessed October 31, 2025
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ NCSL, "Automatic Voter Registration," accessed October 31, 2025
- ↑ NCSL, "Same-Day Voter Registration," accessed October 31, 2025
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Oklahoma Voter Registration Application," accessed October 31, 2025
- ↑ 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."
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Facts about Proof of Identity for Voting in Oklahoma," accessed October 31, 2025
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Oklahoma State Election Board, “Absentee Voting,” accessed October 31, 2025
