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Revision as of 16:13, 1 February 2018


Oklahoma State Senate
SLP-Infobox Image-Color.png
General Information
Party control:  Republican
Session start:  February 3, 2025
Session end:  May 30, 2025
Term length:  4 years
Term limits:  12 year cumulative
total, in either or
both chambers
Redistricting:  Legislative control
Salary:  $47,500/year
+ per diem
Members
Total:  48
Democrats:  2
Republicans:  13
Other:  0
Vacancies:  0
Leadership
President:  Matt Pinnell (R)
Maj. Leader:  Julie Daniels (R)
Min. Leader:  Julia Kirt (D)
Elections
Last election:  November 8, 2016
Next election:  November 6, 2018

The Oklahoma State Senate is the upper chamber of the Oklahoma State Legislature. Alongside the Oklahoma House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the Oklahoma state government and works alongside the governor of Oklahoma to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Oklahoma State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.

  • A total of 24 seats out of the chamber's 48 seats were up for election in 2018. Click to read more »
  • In the 2016 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the Oklahoma State Senate from 39-9 to 42-6.
  • Oklahoma became a Republican trifecta following the 2010 elections when Republicans gained control of the governor's office and retained control of the state legislature.
  • What you will find on this page

    This page contains information on the Oklahoma State Senate that is curated and updated by Ballotpedia staff. Click on the arrows (▼) below for information and research on party control, elections, members, legislation, sessions, procedures, committees, and districts.

    Party Control: current and historical information on party control of the Oklahoma State Senate

    Party control

    Current partisan control

    The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the Oklahoma State Senate as of October 2025:

    Party As of October 2025
         Democratic Party 8
         Republican Party 40
         Other 0
         Vacancies 0
    Total 48

    History of partisan control

    Republicans won control of the Oklahoma State Senate in 2008. In 2024, they won a 40-8 majority.

    The table below shows the partisan history of the Oklahoma Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Oklahoma State Senate election results: 1992-2024

    Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18 '20 '22 '24
    Democrats 37 35 33 33 30 28 26 24 22 16 12 8 6 9 9 8 8
    Republicans 11 13 15 15 18 20 22 24 26 32 36 40 42 39 39 40 40

    Trifecta history

    A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Republicans in Oklahoma gained a state government trifecta as a result of the 2010 elections by taking control of the governor's office. The table below shows state government trifectas in Oklahoma from 1992 to 2017.

    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

    Elections: election data from 2000 to the present

    Elections

    Elections by year

    Oklahoma state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. Oklahoma holds elections for its legislature in even years.

    2026

    See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2026

    Elections for the Oklahoma State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.

    2024

    See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2024

    Elections for the Oklahoma State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was June 18, 2024, and a primary runoff was August 27, 2024. The filing deadline was April 5, 2024.

    In the 2024 elections, Republicans maintained their majority in the Oklahoma State Senate.

    Oklahoma State Senate
    Party As of November 5, 2024 After November 6, 2024
         Democratic Party 8 8
         Republican Party 39 39
         Vacancy 1 1
    Total 48 48

    2022

    See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2022

    Elections for the Oklahoma State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 28, 2022, and a primary runoff was scheduled for August 23, 2022. The filing deadline was April 15, 2022.

    In the 2022 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the Oklahoma State Senate from 39-9 to 40-8.

    Oklahoma State Senate
    Party As of November 8, 2022 After November 9, 2022
         Democratic Party 9 8
         Republican Party 39 40
    Total 48 48

    2020

    See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2020

    Elections for the office of Oklahoma State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 30, 2020, and a primary runoff was scheduled for August 25, 2020. The filing deadline was April 10, 2020.

    After the November 2020 election, Republicans maintained control of the Oklahoma State Senate but did not gain any seats.

    Oklahoma State Senate
    Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
         Democratic Party 9 9
         Republican Party 39 39
    Total 48 48

    2018

    See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2018

    Elections for the Oklahoma State Senate took place in 2018. A primary election took place on June 26, 2018, and a primary runoff took place on August 28, 2018.[1] Democrats use a hybrid primary and Republicans use a closed primary. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was April 13, 2018.[2]

    In the 2018 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the Oklahoma State Senate from 38-8 to 39-9.

    Oklahoma State Senate
    Party As of November 6, 2018 After November 7, 2018
         Democratic Party 8 9
         Republican Party 38 39
         Vacancy 2 0
    Total 48 48

    2016

    See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2016

    Elections for the Oklahoma State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 28, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 15, 2016. A total of 25 seats out of the 48 seats in the Oklahoma State Senate were up for election in 2016.

    Heading into the election, Republicans held a 39-9 majority. Republicans gained three seats in the election, giving them a 42-6 majority.

    Oklahoma State Senate
    Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
         Democratic Party 9 6
         Republican Party 39 42
    Total 48 48

    Members: current leadership and membership list and information on salaries and qualifications

    Members

    Leadership

    The lieutenant governor serves as president of the Senate, but has rarely presided over the Senate session since the 1960s. The president pro tempore is chosen by the members of the Senate and acts as chief executive officer of the Senate. The majority and minority caucuses choose their leaders.[10]

    Current leadership and members

    Current members, Oklahoma State Senate (48)
    District Senator Party Assumed office
    1 Micheal Bergstrom Republican 2016
    2 Marty Quinn Republican 2014
    3 Wayne Shaw Republican 2012
    4 Mark Allen Republican 2010
    5 Joseph Silk Republican 2014
    6 Josh Brecheen Republican 2010
    7 Larry Boggs Republican 2012
    8 Roger Thompson Republican 2014
    9 Dewayne Pemberton Republican 2016
    10 Eddie Fields Republican 2010
    11 Kevin Matthews Democratic 2015
    12 James Leewright Republican 2016
    13 Greg McCortney Republican 2016
    14 Frank Simpson Republican 2010
    15 Rob Standridge Republican 2012
    16 John Sparks Democratic 2006
    17 Ron Sharp Republican 2012
    18 Kim David Republican 2010
    19 Roland Pederson Republican 2016
    20 AJ Griffin Republican 2012
    21 Tom J. Dugger Republican 2016
    22 Stephanie Bice Republican 2014
    23 Lonnie Paxton Republican 2016
    24 Anthony Sykes Republican 2006
    25 Joe Newhouse Republican 2016
    26 Darcy Jech Republican 2014
    27 Vacant
    28 Jason Smalley Republican 2014
    29 Julie Daniels Republican 2016
    30 David Holt Republican 2010
    31 Chris Kidd Republican 2016
    32 Randy Bass Democratic 2004
    33 Nathan Dahm Republican 2012
    34 J.J. Dossett Democratic 2016
    35 Gary Stanislawski Republican 2008
    36 Bill Brown Republican 2006
    37 Allison Ikley-Freeman Democratic 2018
    38 Mike Schulz Republican 2006
    39 Dave Rader Republican 2016
    40 Ervin Yen Republican 2014
    41 Adam Pugh Republican 2016
    42 Jack Fry Republican 2014
    43 Paul Scott Republican 2016
    44 Michael Brooks Democratic 2017
    45 Paul Rosino Republican 2017
    46 Kay Floyd Democratic 2014
    47 Greg Treat Republican 2011
    48 Anastasia Pittman Democratic 2014

    Salaries

    See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
    State legislative salaries, 2024[11]
    SalaryPer diem
    $47,500/year$174/day

    When sworn in

    See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

    Oklahoma legislators assume office November 16th.

    Membership qualifications

    See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

    Article 5, Section 17 of the Oklahoma Constitution states: Members of the Senate shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and members of the House of Representatives twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. They shall be qualified electors in their respective counties or districts and shall reside in their respective counties or districts during their term of office.

    Legislation: all legislation passed by the chamber in the current or most recent legislative session

    Legislation

    The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the Oklahoma State Senate has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the Senate to the House and legislation that has already been approved by both chambers and signed by the governor. Information on legislation provided below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. The tracker is fully interactive. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read its text in full and see its voting history. You can click the headings to sort the content in the column. You can also rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Finally, in the bottom-left corner of the tracker is a magnifying glass, which, when clicked, will allow you to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.

    Sessions: legislative sessions dates, special sessions, and key events

    Sessions

    About legislative sessions in Oklahoma

    The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[12] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.

    Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution establishes when the Oklahoma State Legislature, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 26 of Article V states that the Legislature is to meet in regular session on the first Monday in February of each year, and it is to adjourn its regular session by the last Friday in May of each year. Additionally, Section 26 also states that the Legislature is to meet for organizational purposes on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in January of each odd-numbered year.

    Section 27 of Article V contains the rules for convening special sessions of the Legislature. Section 27 allows a special session to be called by the Governor of Oklahoma or by a written call signed by two-thirds of the members of both legislative houses.

    Dates of legislative sessions in Oklahoma by year

    2025

    See also: 2025 Oklahoma legislative session and Dates of 2025 state legislative sessions

    In 2025, the legislature was scheduled to convene on February 3, 2025, and adjourn on May 30, 2025.


    Procedures: rules and procedures for veto overrides, the budget, term limits, and vacancies

    Procedures

    Every state legislature throughout the country features it own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, procedures for filling membership vacancies, and procedures for filling membership vacancies.

    Veto overrides

    Veto Override Graphic-Republican Party.png

    See also: Veto overrides in state legislatures

    State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in Oklahoma are listed below.

    How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members in both chambers.

    Two-thirds of members in both chambers must vote to override a veto, which is 68 of the 101 members in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and 32 of the 48 members in the Oklahoma State Senate. Oklahoma is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto.

    Are there other special rules?

    If the governor vetoes an emergency measure, three-fourths of the members in both chambers are required to override the veto, which is 76 of the 101 state representatives and 36 of the 48 state senators.[24]

    Authority: Article VI, Section 11 of the Oklahoma Constitution.

    "Every bill which shall have passed the Senate and House of Representatives, and every resolution requiring the assent of both branches of the Legislature, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the Governor; if he approve, he shall sign it; if not, he shall return it with his objections to the house in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large in the Journal and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of the members elected to that house shall agree to pass the bill or joint resolution, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered; and, if approved by two-thirds of the members elected to that house, it shall become a law, notwithstanding the objections of the Governor."

    Role in state budget

    See also: Oklahoma state budget and finances
    Oklahoma on Public Policy Logo-one line-on Ballotpedia.png
    Check out Ballotpedia articles about policy in your state on:
    BudgetsCivil libertiesEducationElectionsEnergyEnvironmentHealthcarePensions

    The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[25]

    1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in August.
    2. State agencies submit their budget requests to the governor by October 1.
    3. Agency hearings are held from November through January.
    4. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature in February.
    5. The legislature typically adopts a budget in May. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

    Oklahoma is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[25][26]

    The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the legislature is required to pass a balanced budget.[25]

    Vacancies

    See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

    If there is a vacancy in the Oklahoma State Legislature, the governor must call a special election no later than 30 days after the vacancy occurs. No special election can be called if the vacancy occurs in an even-numbered year and if the term of office will expire in that year. This second provision allows special elections to be held for outgoing senators with two or more years left in their terms.[27]

    If a senator announces his or her resignation before March 1 but the effective date lies between the general election and the new session, a special election can be held on the general election dates. The winner of this election will take office upon the senator's official resignation. This only applies to senators with two or more years remaining in their terms.[27]

    DocumentIcon.jpg See sources: Oklahoma Stat. Ann. tit. 26, § 12-106

    =Term Limits

    See also: State legislatures with term limits

    The Oklahoma legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Oklahoma Term Limits Act in 1990. That initiative says that Oklahoma state legislators senators are subject to term limits of no more than twelve years in the Oklahoma State Legislature. These 12 years can be served in any combination of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives.[28]

    The first year that the term limits enacted in 1990 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2004.

    Committees: role and list of current committees

    Committees

    Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.

    • Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
    • Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
    • Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.

    Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The Oklahoma State Senate has 13 standing committees:


    Districts

    See also: Oklahoma state legislative districts

    The state of Oklahoma has 48 state Senate districts. Each district elects one senator.

    Use the interactive map below to find your district.

    Redistricting

    See also: Redistricting in Oklahoma

    In Oklahoma, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the Oklahoma State Legislature. These lines may be vetoed by the governor.[29]

    If the legislature is unable to approve a state legislative redistricting plan, a backup commission must draw the lines. The commission comprises the following seven members:[29]

    1. The governor appoints one Republican and one Democrat.
    2. The majority leader of the Oklahoma State Senate appoints one Republican and one Democrat.
    3. The majority leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives appoints one Republican and one Democrat.
    4. The lieutenant governor serves as the non-voting chair of the commission.

    The Oklahoma Constitution requires that state Senate district boundaries take into account "population, compactness, area, political units, historical precedents, economic and political interests, contiguous territory, and other major factors."[29]

    The redistricting committee of the state House adopted redistricting guidelines similar to the senatorial district requirements described above. These guidelines apply to state House and congressional districts, as well. These guidelines may be amended by the state legislature at its discretion.[29]

    2010

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Oklahoma's population increased from 3.45 million to 3.75 million between 2000 and 2010.[30] The population was densest around Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Growth rates were highest in the suburban and exurban areas surrounding these cities, while rural Oklahoma counties grew slowly or lost population. Of Oklahoma's 77 counties, 23 registered a drop in population between 2000 and 2010.[31] The state's overall growth rate was 8.7 percent, which was below the national average of 9.7 percent, but not low enough to cost the state a Congressional seat, as occurred as a result of the 2000 Census.[32]

    Oklahoma officials received detailed Oklahoma results from the Census in February. The legislature formed steering committees in each chamber to draft the maps before the May 27, 2011 deadline. The House of Representatives completed its work relatively quickly, producing a map that avoided putting any incumbents in a district together by early May.[33] Discussions in the Senate were more heated and partisan, and the Senate did not produce a map in mid-May.[34][35][36] The House map was passed overwhelmingly in its initial vote, while the Senate encountered minority opposition. However, opposition eased on the second round of votes, and the Governor Mary Fallin signed the bills into law seven days before the deadline.[37][38]

    See also

    Elections Oklahoma State Government State Legislatures State Politics
    Ballotpedia Elections Badge-VOTE-no shadow-Square.jpg
    Oklahoma State Flag-Close Up.jpg
    State Houses-Tile image.png
    State Courts-Tile image.png

    Footnotes

    1. Oklahoma State Board of Elections, "Oklahoma Elections — 2018," accessed August 23, 2017
    2. Oklahoma State Board of Elections, "Candidate Filing," accessed August 23, 2017
    3. Follow the Money, "Oklahoma State Senate 2012 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 1, 2014
    4. Follow the Money, "Oklahoma State Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 1, 2014
    5. Follow the Money, "Oklahoma State Senate 2008 Campaign Contributions"
    6. Follow the Money, "Oklahoma State Senate 2006 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 1, 2014
    7. Follow the Money, "Oklahoma State Senate 2004 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 1, 2014
    8. Follow the Money, "Oklahoma State Senate 2002 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 1, 2014
    9. Follow the Money, "Oklahoma State Senate 2000 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 1, 2014
    10. Oklahoma State Senate, "Senate Majority Leadership," accessed July 21, 2014
    11. National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
    12. Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed May 20, 2017
    13. Fox News 23, "Oklahoma Legislature closes, coronavirus increases in state," March 20, 2020
    14. KOSU, "Oklahoma Capitol Remains Empty Of Legislators During COVID-19 Crisis," March 30, 2020
    15. The Oklahoman, "Coronavirus in Oklahoma: Legislature convenes," April 6, 2020
    16. McAlester News-Capital, "State Capitol to reopen to public on Monday," May 2, 2020
    17. enidnews.com, "Legislators have eyes on budget," accessed February 2, 2015
    18. TulsaWorld.com, "Oklahoma Gov. Fallin to push education, reduced incarceration and improved health," accessed February 2, 2015
    19. www.tulsaworld.com, "2014 Oklahoma Legislature: Budget challenges, leadership matters await as session begins," accessed February 3, 2014
    20. Muskogee Phoenix, "State House Republicans unveil 2013 legislative agenda," February 1, 2013
    21. WatchDog.org, "OK special session puts lawsuit reforms back in place," accessed October 25, 2013
    22. National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed June 6, 2014(Archived)
    23. National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed June 19, 2014(Archived)
    24. National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Veto Process," accessed June 22, 2017
    25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
    26. National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
    27. 27.0 27.1 Justia US Law, "2014 Oklahoma Statutes Title 26. Elections §26-12-106. Vacancies in the Legislature," accessed February 3, 2023 (Statute 26-12-106(A), Oklahoma Statutes)
    28. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named limits
    29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 All About Redistricting, "Oklahoma," accessed May 6, 2015
    30. U.S. Census Bureau, "2010 Census: Oklahoma Profile," accessed July 21, 2014
    31. USA Today, "Oklahoma City, suburbs see 'significant growth'," February 18, 2011
    32. The Express-Star, "State's congressional representation to stay the same," March 7, 2011
    33. Tulsa Today, "Not Kumbaya, but close: House reapportionment headed to a peaceful end," May 10, 2011(Archived)
    34. Tulsa World, "Redistricting draws criticism: One senator says lawmakers shouldn't be involved in the process," April 24, 2011
    35. News-Star, "House redistricting moves forward, Senate plan stalls," May 10, 2011
    36. NewsOK, "State Senate releases maps for proposed districts," May 12, 2011
    37. Real Clear Politics, "Fallin signs House, Senate redistricting bills," May 20, 2011
    38. The Oklahoman, "Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signs redistricting bills," May 21, 2011