OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s primary election early voting begins Thursday.
On the ballot will be races for the U.S. House of Representatives, the state Senate and the state House. The Corporation Commissioner race, also on the ballot, will be the only state-wide election.
In the U.S. House elections, three of the five races will see challengers to incumbents. One of the more wholy contested is District 4, where U.S. Rep. Tom Cole is campaigning for re-election against Paul Bondar, who has made headlines over questions about his residency. Both are Republicans. Other Republicans in the race are Andrew Hayes, Nick Hankins and Rick Whitebear Harris.
Of the 26 races for the state Senate, 10 incumbents face primary challengers. Incumbents in 23 House races face primary challengers.
Several races in the state House and Senate have open seats because their current officeholders are terming out. Lawmakers are limited to 12 years.
Several candidates face no challenger in the primary, but will have an opponent in the Nov. 5 general election.
State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said he doesn’t have a prediction for what this year’s early voting turnout will look like.
“In-person absentee voting, aka ‘early voting,’ for the primary election starts Thursday, so we don’t know what that will be like yet,” Ziriax said in a statement.
However, Ziriax pointed to the March presidential preferential primary as a point of comparison.
Republicans had an increase of about 25% in the presidential preferential primary from 2020 to 2024 for in-person absentee voting. Democrats had a decrease of about 72% from 2020 to 2024. Libertarians had 17 votes cast in 2024 after not having a race in 2020.
Oklahoma is a closed-party state, meaning voters may only cast a ballot for their registered party. The Democratic party, however, is allowing independents to vote in its primary.
Early voting is open Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Election Day – June 18 – polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The primary runoff election will be held Aug. 27.
Identity must be shown with photo identification, a county election board voter identification card or an affidavit with provisional ballot.
Voters can cast ballots at their designated early voting locations.