Whether they were pushed by rising prices, hopes of a blue wave or a red wall, less than half of Oklahoma’s registered voters cast a ballot Tuesday.  

Following a surge of early votes, hopes of record-breaking midterm turnout dissipated as votes rolled in Tuesday. Statewide turnout rests at nearly 46%, per unofficial results from the state election board. That’s compared to more than 64% of registered voters in 2024 and just over 50% in 2022. 

“I think every vote counts and it’s obvious that if you don’t come out, if you complain and you don’t come out, you can’t expect anything different,” said Tulsa voter Lashonda Barnes at Midtown Church of Christ Tuesday. 

Barnes has always been “more in between” when it comes to political parties, but the economy and Iran war brought her out to vote. 

“I think this time I’m leaning more Democrat because I just don’t like the rhetoric and what’s going on with the Republicans and the direction that we’re heading,” she said. 

While Democratic candidates saw a massive shift in support nationwide, Oklahoma Republicans held on to all statewide offices Tuesday. Democratic candidate Cyndi Munson made gains in the race for governor — and six state House seats unexpectedly flipped blue — but incumbents and conservatives largely won the night.  

Turnout was highest in the race for governor, both statewide and in Tulsa County. For the pair of state questions and the races for state superintendent and U.S. senator, turnout ranged from 43% to below 46% of registered voters. 

Former Republican lawmaker Mike Mazzei won the night with 52% of votes cast in his race for governor. But fewer Oklahomans weighed in on his gubernatorial bid than both of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s elections. Stitt was first elected in 2018 with over 56% turnout and brought back for a second term with over 50% turnout in 2022. 

Party differences in turnout remain to be seen. According to the state election board, voter history is manually recorded by each county election board following the election and sent to the state. That process may take four weeks to be completed.

Turnout was slightly higher in Tulsa County than it was statewide, by about 2%. In the City of Tulsa, 108,286 weighed in on the hotel tax increase — which passed. 

Scott Tucker says he comes out to vote because it’s his legal right to do so. Several concerns came with him to the ballot box Tuesday.  

“Everything that’s going on right now. The economy. The cost of gas. The cost of food. The cost of living. It’s all a big impact on us,” Tucker said at New Beginnings Church in Bixby.

Fear of Democratic socialism was top of mind for Jeffrey Wilhite, another Bixby voter. 

“Keep it out. All across the board, I came to vote red,” Wilhite said from inside New Beginnings Church. “I know it’s not an issue really here, but if you don’t vote it will be.”

Cheryl Poitvent thinks it’s been too long since she’s seen change in Oklahoma. An early voter at Tulsa Tech Broken Arrow, social issues and the cost of living brought her out to vote.  

“Just the cost of everything right now is going up,” Poitvent said Oct. 31. “It’s just making it where it’s unaffordable for pretty much anyone at this point in time and so just making it where we can actually live our lives and not have to work 70, 80, 90 hours a week just to survive.”

Every issue on the ballot was important to voter Toni Jackson Tuesday. 

“Every one of them. Especially the district city seat. All the issues. The judges. Everybody,” she said at Rudisill Regional Library. “I want everyone in place to make north Tulsa — all of Tulsa — well. We need good representation.”

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