The 2018 general election was held in the U.S. state of Oklahoma on November 6, 2018. All of Oklahoma's executive officers were up for election as well as the state's five seats in the United States House of Representatives, half of the 48 seats in the Oklahoma Senate and all 101 seats in the Oklahoma House, and five offices in each of Oklahoma's 77 counties. Voter turnout was 42.5% of the eligible population, a 12.6% increase over the 2014 midterms but still the third lowest in the nation.[1]
Due to Gary Johnson's results in the 2016 presidential election, the Oklahoma Libertarian Party had ballot status to run candidates in 2018.[2] This was the first time an alternative party has been able to participate in mid-term elections in the state since 1998. Five Independents, led in a loosely coordinated effort by former Oklahoma Democratic Party chair Ivan Holmes, were candidates for statewide executive offices.[3]
The ballot order was determined by random drawing for placement of candidates by party. Results of the drawing on July 12 were that Libertarian candidates would be placed first, Republicans second, and Democrats third.[4] By statute, Independents are always listed after partisan candidates.
Incumbent Republican Governor Mary Fallin was term-limited and could not seek a third term.
Lieutenant governor
In Oklahoma, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected separately. Incumbent Republican lieutenant governorTodd Lamb was term-limited and could not seek a third term.
Republican primary
Declared
Eddie Fields, Oklahoma State Senator from the 10th District[5]
Dominique DaMón Block Sr., 2010 candidate for Oklahoma State House[6]
Republican labor commissionerMark Costello, who was re-elected to a second term in 2014, was fatally stabbed on August 23, 2015.[33] Attorney General Scott Pruitt's chief of staff Melissa Houston was appointed to serve for the remainder of the term, but pledged that she would not run for election in 2018.[34]
Republican primary
Declared
Cathy Costello, widow of former labor commissioner Mark Costello & Mental Health Advocate[35]
One of the three seats on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission was up for election. Incumbent Republican commissioner Bob Anthony, the chairman of the commission, ran for re-election to a sixth six-year term in office.
State questions are ballot propositions to proposed either a legislative measure or an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution. State questions are filed with the Oklahoma Secretary of State by either order of the legislature (termed a "legislative referendum") or directly by the people of Oklahoma (termed an "initiative petition").[45] The secretary of state assigns a number to the state question and notifies the State Election Board of the propositions submission. The governor, by executive proclamation, sets the election date for submission of the state questions to the people.
Oklahoma State Question 788 was an initiative petition which sought to legalize the licensed use, sale, and growth of marijuana in Oklahoma for medical purposes.[46]
Question 788 results
Choice
Votes
%
Yes
507,582
56.9
No
385,176
43.1
Total votes
892,758
100.00
State Question 793
Oklahoma State Question 793 was an initiative petition which sought to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to allow optometrists to practice within a mercantile establishment.[47]
Question 793 results
Choice
Votes
%
No
585,928
50.24
Yes
580,341
49.76
Total votes
1,166,269
100.00
State Question 794
Oklahoma State Question 794 was a legislative referendum which sought to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to expand the rights of victims of crime.[48]
Question 794 results
Choice
Votes
%
Yes
905,195
78.01
No
255,230
21.99
Total votes
1,160,425
100.00
State Question 798
Oklahoma State Question 798 was a legislative referendum which sought to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to provide that the governor and lieutenant governor be jointly elected.[49]
Question 798 results
Choice
Votes
%
No
622,863
54.09
Yes
528,614
45.91
Total votes
1,151,477
100.00
State Question 800
Oklahoma State Question 800 was a legislative referendum which sought to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to create a new trust fund consisting of a portion of all taxes collected against the extraction of oil and gas resources.[50]
Question 800 results
Choice
Votes
%
No
653,630
57.22
Yes
488,612
42.78
Total votes
1,142,242
100.00
State Question 801
Oklahoma State Question 801 was a legislative referendum which sought to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to allow voters within a local school district to expand the permissible use of property taxes to include school operations rather than just for school buildings.[51]
^ abcdeAlmukhtar, Sarah; Bloch, Matthew; Lee, Jasmine C. (June 26, 2018). "Oklahoma Primary Election Results". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
^ abcdAlmukhtar, Sarah; Bloch, Matthew; Lee, Jasmine C. (June 26, 2018). "Oklahoma Primary Results". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2018.