Oklahoma election guide: Key midterm races, state questions for Nov. 3

Months of campaigning and millions spent on political ads are all leading up to Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Oklahoma voters will not only elect a new governor and several statewide officials, they also will decide whether to amend the Oklahoma Constitution in two significant ways.

In the Oklahoma City area, voters will choose the winner of a tight congressional race and determine the fate of the troubled county jail.

The Oklahoman has created a guide to the key races and other information you need to know before casting your ballot.

More: Oklahoma 2026 midterms: Your guide to the biggest races on the Nov. 3 ballot

Oklahoma governor

Oklahomans will choose their first new governor in eight years, and the two frontrunners in the race have put forward competing visions for spurring the economy.

Republican Mike Mazzei, 61, has pledged to decrease property taxes and eliminate income taxes, which he believes are essential steps to attract new workers. Mazzei is a Tulsa businessman who previously served 12 years in the state Senate.

More: Attention grows on Oklahoma governor's race between Mazzei, Munson

Democrat Cyndi Munson , 41, has said she would first turn around the state's struggling academic and health measures, which are trailing behind nearly every other state. Munson, of Oklahoma City, is the Democratic leader of the state House of Representatives.

The race between Mazzei and Munson has drawn national attention, as some political observers believe it may be closer than expected in a deeply red state. Partisan governors' groups have both funneled millions of dollars into the race to help Mazzei and Munson air ads in the final days of the race.

Three independent candidates, Jerry Griffin, 82, Robert E. Brooks Sr., 47, and Orlando Lynn Bush, 61, will also appear on the ballot.

— Alex Gladden

Attorney general

Democrat Nick Coffey faces Republican Jon Echols in the race to become Oklahoma's top legal officer. Coffey, 35, is a former federal prosecutor, while Echols, 46, was a high-ranking member of the state House of Representatives.

Echols has framed the race as a fight to preserve the state's well-known conservative culture. Coffey has argued on the campaign trail that he wants to weed out corruption.

More: Nick Coffey, Jon Echols clash in Oklahoma attorney general race

Echols has faced scrutiny for his ties to TK Health, a jail and prison health care provider he cofounded in 2009. Dozens of lawsuits have accused the company of providing inadequate care and violating the constitutional rights of detainees.

Echols has said he now holds only a minority interest in the company, and has called Coffey's criticism of his connection to TK Health a distraction from Coffey's left-leaning views.

— Jessie Christopher Smith

State schools superintendent

In the race to oversee Oklahoma's K-12 public schools, neither candidate has focused on the culture war issues that defined the tenure of Ryan Walters.

Instead, Republican Robert Franklin, 67, and Democrat Jennettie Marshall, 68, have focused on the policies that they think would improve the state's low academic rankings.

Franklin, a longtime school administrator from Sand Springs, has spoken about going "back to basics." To him, that means getting back to fundamentals like reading, math, classroom discipline and strong expectations for academic success.

More: Oklahoma's superintendent candidates focused on policy, not politics

Marshall, who served as a board member for Tulsa Public Schools, has proposed six "pillars of focus," which are part of what she is calling the Marshall Plan.

Marshall said she would focus on academic excellence, school transformation and accountability, student success and well-being, educator and workforce excellence, operational excellence, transparency and partnership, and strengthening rural schools.

— Dale Denwalt

Insurance commissioner

Voters facing sky-high homeowners insurance premiums will choose the state's next insurance commissioner, who will be tasked with the challenge of bringing down rates.

Democrat Craig MacIntyre, 60, of Tecumseh, and Republican Bob Sullivan, 41, of Cleora , agree that affordability and claims handling have reached crisis levels in Oklahoma. The two candidates diverge on regulatory philosophies.

More: Sullivan, MacIntyre square off over Oklahoma's insurance crisis

Sullivan has emphasized the traditional free-market principle of competition acting as a mechanism that drives down prices. He said competition breeds better pricing and coverage, and insurance companies can make a profit in Oklahoma provided they take good care of consumers when claims happen.

MacIntyre has stressed the need for more accountability. His plan involves evaluating rates, as well as strengthening consumer advocacy and actively pursuing complaints against companies that are consistently underpaying claims.

— Jeff Elkins

Corporation commissioner

On the ballot for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission are state Rep. Brad Boles and political newcomer Rhonda Eastman.

The Corporation Commission is a regulatory body headed by three elected officials, whose decisions on public utility rates affect how much Oklahomans pay for electricity and natural gas.

Boles, 43, of Marlow, has made his experience in government and as a businessman the cornerstone of his campaign. The Republican has been a legislator for eight years.

More: State legislator, political newcomer seek Corporation Commission seat

Eastman, 54, of Spiro, has sought to tap into the public distrust of AI data centers and has talked about putting new construction of those centers on hold.

The Democrat is a construction project manager who previously worked 16 years for the state at the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.

— Nolan Clay

Other statewide offices

Voters will find three more races for statewide office on the ballot. The contest will decide Oklahoma's next lieutenant governor, treasurer and labor commissioner.

In the race for lieutenant governor, Republican politician T.W. Shannon, 44, faces Democratic educational consultant Kelly Forbes, 42. Both Oklahoma City men have pledged to focus on the state's most pressing issues if elected. The office has few responsibilities under state law.

Cindy Byrd is the familiar name in the race for state treasurer. She is the current Republican state auditor who is leaving that office due to term limits. Byrd, 53, faces Libertarian Kiefer Perry, 37. The state treasurer oversees Oklahoma's cash and investments.

Byrd and Shannon have both landed endorsements from President Donald Trump, and polls have pegged them as the clear frontrunners in their races.

The race for labor commissioner has drawn less attention. The commissioner enforces state labor laws and regulates workplace safety issues. Competing for the post are Republican state Rep. Kevin West, 59, Democratic railroad industry veteran Kevin Dawson, 65, and Libertarian political newcomer Mike Hall, 59. All three men are from the OKC area.

— Molly Young

State Question 845

This ballot measure seeks to give the governor more power over the Judicial Nominating Commission , a state body that chooses candidates for Oklahoma's top courts.

Currently, the governor appoints six of the 15 members of the JNC. But only three of the governor's appointees can be from the same political party.

If SQ 845 were approved, there would no longer be a limit on the number of members from one political party. The governor could appoint six Republicans to all six commission seats, doubling the current number.

More: What is SQ 845? Measure would affect how top judges are selected

The ballot measure would also remove the ban on attorneys serving on the commission.

The Republican-controlled state Legislature agreed to put the issue before voters.

— Ben Felder

State Question 847

This proposal asks voters to further limit how much a property's assessed value can increase each year. The value determines how property taxes are calculated.

State Question 847 would lower the annual cap on assessed-value growth for homestead property from 3% to 1.75% and for commercial property from 5% to 4%, beginning in tax year 2027. It also proposes some changes to how properties owned by older Oklahomans are assessed.

More: Oklahoman recommends 'no' votes on SQ 845, SQ 847. Here's why | Editorial

Supporters say the change would protect long-term property owners from compounding valuation increases, while critics worry it could reduce funding for schools and other local services over time. Many school administrators and city leaders, including OKC Republican Mayor David Holt, have come out against the measure.

Republican lawmakers, who have made property tax reform a key focus in recent years, voted to place the state question on the ballot.

— Jeff Elkins

Federal races

U.S. House

National observers are paying attention to the race to represent Oklahoma's Congressional District 5.

Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice hopes to retain her seat, while the Democratic Party is making a late push to support its challenger in the race, Jena Nelson.

Bice, 52, has sought to distance herself from President Donald Trump as his approval numbers lag. Her priorities include defending the U.S.-Mexico border and the Second Amendment, cutting federal spending and securing American energy.

Nelson, a 48-year-old former teacher, is campaigning on protecting social security, Medicare and Medicaid, along with ensuring a fair immigration system and addressing rising costs.

The district includes the northern half of the Oklahoma City metro area, along with Lincoln, Pottawatomie and Seminole counties.

In other U.S. House races:

• Congressional District 1:Republican state Rep. Mark Tedford, 57, faces Democrat John Croisant, 49, for this open seat that represents the Tulsa area.

• Congressional District 2:Incumbent Republican Congressman Josh Brecheen, 47, faces Democrat Brandon Wade, 50, and independent Ronnie Hopkins, 70. The seat covers parts of eastern Oklahoma.

• Congressional District 3:Incumbent Republican Congressman Frank Lucas, 66, faces Democrat Suzie Byrd, 72. The district includes parts of central and western Oklahoma.

• Congressional District 4:Incumbent Republican Congressman Tom Cole, 77, faces Democrat Mitchell Jacob, 35, and independent Rocco Bonacci, 52. The seat covers parts of central and southern Oklahoma.

-- Alexia Aston

U.S. Senate

Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern and Democrat N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas are competing for Oklahoma's open seat in the U.S. Senate.

The race has garnered some national attention because of Thomas' identity as a Democratic socialist, a wing of the blue party that's drawn criticism from moderate Democrats who say those to their left flank are unelectable against traditional GOP candidates.

More: Democratic socialist Thomas challenges Hern for Oklahoma U.S. Senate seat

As a business owner-turned-politician, Hern, 64, fits that mold. He currently serves in the U.S. House of Representatives and has President Trump's endorsement in his bid for the Senate.

Thomas, 35, has not wavered on her progressive ideas throughout her campaign. The Chickasaw citizen from Ardmore stands on policies like universal child care and Medicare for all.

Hern has campaigned on securing the southern border, supporting a balanced budget, protecting religious liberty and ending abortion.

— Alexia Aston

Local races

Oklahoma County sales tax proposition

Oklahoma County voters will decide whether to keep the old jail downtown or finance a national "showcase" criminal justice campus, at 1901 E. Grand Blvd. in the county sales tax election.

A tax of four-tenths of 1 cent would be collected for 25 years. The tax would add 40 cents to a $100 grocery bill.

By almost all accounts, the present jail, a 13-story tower at 201 N. Shartel Ave., cannot be modified to function correctly.

More: Should tax hike for Oklahoma County jail be OK'd? Our take | Editorial

Supporters say a new jail is necessary to stem the tragedies that keep unfolding at the 35-year-old jail. If the vote fails, nothing changes, and "with every death, you're paying for the lawsuit that follows," District Attorney Vicki Behenna told a crowd in early October.

Critics have questioned the county's ability to manage the funding for and construction of a new property when the current jail was left to fall into a state of disrepair.

— Richard Mize

Oklahoma County commissioner

Republican Jessica Clayton, 45, and Democrat Jennifer Mayo, 35, are competing for the open District 3 seat on the Oklahoma County Commission.

Like many county races, their contest has focused on questions about the future of the county jail, a troubled downtown operation that some county leaders hope to replace with a new building.

Clayton, the county manager, supports a proposed sales tax increase to cover construction costs. Mayo, who works for nonprofit Hunger Free Oklahoma, is against it.

Both Clayton and Mayo live in Edmond. District 3 covers part of north Oklahoma City, Edmond, Arcadia and Luther.

— Richard Mize

How to vote

The general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

Voters can check with their county election boards or the online voter portal, okvoterportal.okelections.gov, to find their voting location.

Absentee ballots must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma election guide: Key midterm races, state questions for Nov. 3