Oklahoma voters don’t want to change the nearly 60-year-old judicial nominating process or the formula used to assess property values. 

State Question 845 that would have altered the Judicial Nominating Commission went down in defeat with 73% of voters saying no to the measure, with 92% of precincts reporting. The 15-member bipartisan commission makes recommendations to the governor when there is a vacancy on the state’s top three courts: Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals and Court of Civil Appeals. 

The commission was established by voters in 1967 in a series of reforms after a scandal at the Oklahoma Supreme Court sent one judge to prison, another was forced out in an impeachment and one resigned. Appointment to the commission is set by law to restrict a single political party or attorneys from dominating the process. 

In the last decade, lawmakers have been frustrated by the Supreme Court’s rulings that deemed some of their laws unconstitutional. The response has been attempts to change or abolish the commission in favor of elected officials directly appointing judges. 

If SQ 845 had passed, it would have removed restrictions on political party affiliation among some appointees and provisions prohibiting some members be lawyers or have family members who are attorneys. Also, it would have extended the service to two consecutive six-year terms and updated the appointments to the congressional districts at the time of appointment. 

With its defeat, the commission and the process will remain as it is. 

State Question 847 was more narrowly defeated, showing 54% of voters saying no with 92% of precincts reporting. The measure was proposed by Republican lawmakers in response to complaints about high property taxes. 

The state question would not have lowered taxes. Instead, it would have suppressed the assessed values upon which taxes are based.  

The measure would have reduced homestead and agricultural property caps from 3% to 1.75%, reduced other property from 5% to 4% and created a tiered cap on homestead property owners 65 and older who didn’t qualify for the existing property tax freeze program. 

Its passage would have made them the lowest assessed property caps in the nation. 

Critics pointed out no fiscal analysis was conducted on the measure. They argued it would have led to lower revenue for critical local services and possibly raise taxes in the form of more bond issues. 

News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.