All Oklahoma voters have decisions to make in the June 16 and Aug. 25 elections, but only members of political parties can make candidate choices.
State questions appearing on the June and August ballots are eligible for every voter to have a say.
On June 16, State Question 832 asks voters whether Oklahoma should increase its minimum wage. It originated from a citizen petition and would gradually raise the rate from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour by 2029. After that, changes would be based on inflation rates.
In addition to municipal elections, the Aug. 25 ballot will have two questions sent to voters by the Legislature. State Question 844 would change the way schools are reimbursed by the Legislature for lost revenue when manufacturers get property tax exemptions.
State Question 846 would put a requirement to show proof of identity when casting a ballot into the state constitution. Voter ID is currently required by law, but the state question’s approval would ban future legislatures from repealing the law. It’s been a top priority for Oklahoma Republicans this year.
But primary elections for candidates are limited to voters who have self-identified as party members.
The Oklahoma Republican and Libertarian parties always barred independents from its primary elections. Oklahoma Democrats allowed independents to cast a ballot in their primaries beginning in 2016, but missed a November 2025 notification period at the Oklahoma Election Board.
That means independents can’t vote in this year’s Democratic primary — leading more than 13,000 Oklahomans so far to change their party affiliation this year so they can participate in the closed primaries. A petition effort to open state primaries failed to earn enough signatures to get onto the June ballot.
Independents will not be allowed to vote in any Oklahoma primary election through 2027 — despite it being the fastest growing political affiliation, making up 20% of the state’s 2.42 million registered voters. About 53% are Republicans, 25% are Democrats and about 1% are Libertarians.
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ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, JUNE 16.
Have everything you need before you head to the ballot box? Find everything from key dates and deadlines to candidate details and voter information for the upcoming election season in our free voter guide.