Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s November general election is today. What to know about state, local races.
Here’s what we know about Election Day results
In 2016, election results were ready the next day, but 2020 was a different story so what will this year be like? Here’s what we know now.
It’s officially Election Day in Oklahoma. This election includes the presidential election, where voters will select their choices for the next U.S. president.
Across the state, voters will weigh in on two statewide referendum questions that ask about public infrastructure districts and citizenship to vote.
Other races on the ballot depend on where you live. Some voters will have referendums for school funding, plus elections for local offices like mayor or state representative.
It’s expected that all Oklahoma-only races will be decided tonight, but the presidential election may not be called until late Tuesday night, if not in the morning.
Here’s what to know about voting in Oklahoma today and what races and questions you should expect to see on your ballot:
What time do polls open?
Polling places open at 7 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Lines are typically their longest just before and after work hours and during lunch hours, according to the Oklahoma State Election Board.
If you arrive at your polling place and are in line by 7 p.m., you can still vote in the election as long as you do not leave the line. This includes if you are lined up outside the polling place and have yet to go in.
Where do I vote?
Oklahomans have designated polling places to vote and there are dozens across the OKC metro.
To find your polling place, go to the OK Voter Portal at okvoterportal.okelections.gov.
There, enter your first and last name and date of birth to find your specific polling place, as well as to see sample ballots, upcoming elections and more.
What do I need to bring to vote?
All in-person voters will need to provide proof of identity in one of the following ways:
- A valid photo ID issued by the federal, state or tribal government
- A voter identification card
- Sign an affidavit and vote a provisional ballot; if the information on the affidavit matches official voter registration records, the ballot will be counted after Election Day
Who is on the ballot?
Several races are on the ballot and throughout the state. To find names and information regarding each candidate, go to oklahoman.com/news/elections.
What is on my ballot? Can I see a sample ballot?
If you want to see a sample of your ballot on Tuesday, the OK Voter Portal allows you to preview the ballot. To do so:
- Enter your name and date of birth, then press “Find Me.”
- Under the Voter Information section, press “Sample Ballots” to jump to that section
- View your sample ballot for the upcoming election as a PDF or webpage.
What are the local, state races?
Oklahoma’s local races include the Corporation Commissioner race between Libertarian candidate Chad Williams, Republican candidate J. Brian Bingman and Democratic candidate Harold D. Spradling.
For the judicial races, click here to see each candidate running concurrently and not in opposition to each other.
What do the state questions mean?
There are two Oklahoma state questions to vote on in this election cycle, tackling different topics.
Oklahoma State Question No. 833
State Question 833 is a legislative referendum, meaning it was put on the ballot by the legislature rather than an initiative petition by citizens. It would add Section 9E to Article 10 to the Oklahoma Constitution, which would “permit the creation of public infrastructure districts to provide support, organization, operation, and maintenance of services.”
Oklahoma State Question No. 834
Also, a legislative referendum, SQ 834 would change Article 3, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution to say “only” citizens of the United States are qualified to vote in the state. This section of the constitution currently says “all” citizens of the United States are qualified to vote.
Oklahoma
Neighbors sift debris, help each other after suspected Purcell tornado
Purcell OK resident recounts how tornado damaged home
Jennifer Fox says she didn’t hear any warning sirens but knew there was a tornado in the area after severe weather tore her garage awning from the ground.
PURCELL — Jennifer Fox had just fed the pigs behind her house early in the morning Thursday, Jan. 8, and began getting ready for work before she and her two sons heard something hit her bedroom window.
“I said, ‘Is it hailing?” she said. “My oldest looked out the window and he saw our awning across the back. He said, ‘Mom, the awning’s gone.”
Fox looked out the window and saw debris everywhere. She said she didn’t hear tornado sirens, but she and her sons immediately took shelter in a closet. By that time, the suspected tornado had already passed through her neighborhood off of Johnson Avenue in Purcell.
At first, Fox didn’t think there was a tornado and attributed the damage and debris to strong winds.
But just one street over, the roof of one house had been destroyed. When she looked at the house behind hers, Fox said she knew a tornado had hit her neighborhood.
“I was thankful at the time,” she said. “I told my kids, I said, ‘It could’ve been a lot worse.’ We weren’t prepared, obviously. I really felt like it just barely missed us.”
Severe weather passed through central Oklahoma early Thursday morning, bringing reports of damage from a possible tornado in Purcell. The National Weather Service in Norman reported on social media that survey teams have found at least EF1 tornado damage in the Purcell area.
The Purcell Fire Department reported a tornado touched down in the city, causing roof damage to nine homes, a semi truck rollover accident on Interstate 35 with one injury and widespread power outages, downed trees and powerlines.
On Norte Street in Purcell, the suspected tornado wiped out the roof of a newly-built home, throwing debris onto the road, including a Christmas tree and blue ornaments. The houses across the street and next door were untouched.
Community members and local high school students gathered pieces of trash, plywood, insulation and other debris and hauled them off.
Next door to Fox, a man and a woman removed debris from their yard that appeared to have blown over from Fox’s house. Like a puppy, a tall brown horse followed the man as he picked up each piece of trash. Across the street, cattle laid in the middle of a field and watched as one person after another drove into the neighborhood to lend a hand.
About five miles northeast of Fox’s house, the suspected tornado knocked over a few powerlines near Purcell’s football stadium. A tree fell onto a small white house and took the tin roof off a large warehouse.
Ron Musgrave, the warehouse’s owner, lives six miles north of Purcell. He said he learned his property was damaged through a local news broadcast.
“They had the people out front and they had the helicopters, so I could see it,” Musgrave said. “They were flying over here. There’s a football field, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. If that’s the football field, that’s my warehouse.”
The retired home builder and property owner said he keeps building supplies in his warehouse and a black and white cat who’s in charge of exterminating any trespassing mice.
The cat was happy to see Musgrave as he surveyed the water damage inside of the warehouse. Though there was some wet spots, the roof took most of the impact.
“It’s a project,” Musgrave said with a smile. “I am down for it.”
Severe weather damage reported in Shawnee, Norman
Tree damage was reported in Cleveland County at 156th Street and East Tecumseh Avenue, according to Alyse Moore, Cleveland County communications director, along with damage to a car port and barn at 800 Moffatt Road north of Lexington.
Storm damage was also reported in Shawnee. Social media posts show damage to the Holiday Inn Express and Walmart Supercenter off of Interstate 40.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners add transfer portal offensive lineman to the roster
The Oklahoma Sooners made an under-the-radar transfer portal addition on Wednesday, bringing back a player who spent two seasons in Norman before transferring out last year.
Former Central Oklahoma offensive lineman Kenneth Wermy will be returning to play for OU out of the portal. Wermy played for the Sooners in 2023 and 2024 before spending 2025 at the NCAA Division II level with the Bronchos. He’ll add depth to an offensive line group that is in need of it after recent portal departures.
Wemry is a local product from Cache, Oklahoma, and he stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 315 pounds. The Sooners have been busy adding big names in the transfer market, but with a week and a half left until the portal closes, the focus may soon turn to retention and building back depth on the roster.
Oklahoma had a busy portal day on Wednesday, adding Wermy and former Michigan linebacker Cole Sullivan. However, Oklahoma also lost three players to the portal, in linebacker Sammy Omosigho, defensive back Jaydan Hardy, and wide receiver Zion Ragins.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma bill aims to ban obscene materials in public school libraries
A local lawmaker is introducing a bill to prohibit obscene materials in Oklahoma public school libraries.
Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, filed legislation this week, House Bill 2978, that would update state law and prohibit the acquisition of materials that meet Oklahoma’s legal definition of obscenity.
The bill removes references to subjective community standards and relies on established statute, according to Banning.
“This legislation provides a straightforward statewide rule that helps ensure school libraries stay within the definition of education,” Banning said. “According to Black’s Law Dictionary, education is defined as providing proper moral, intellectual and physical instruction.”
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