© 2025 KOSU
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Oklahoma open primary supporters refile petition to clarify issues

Voters cast early ballots in El Reno Wednesday.
Sierra Pfeifer
/
KOSU
Voters cast early ballots in El Reno Wednesday.

Supporters of open primaries have refiled their initiative petition to clarify some concerns.

State Question 835 has been refiled as State Question 836.

“We are refiling our initiative petition out of an abundance of caution,” said Robert McCampbell, an attorney for petition supporters. “While SQ 835 was clear and legally sound, we don’t want to allow (an) opportunity for misinterpretation that could overshadow the real purpose of this initiative – ensuring every voter in Oklahoma has a voice in our elections.”

The new wording clarifies that the constitutional provisions do not impact the selection of presidential electors and ensures that the initiative only addresses the process for partisan primary elections at the state, county and federal levels.

Presidential elections would be unaffected.

The new language also clarifies that candidates will appear on the ballot identified by party registration. The old language used the term “affiliation.”

Supporters said they are confident the initiative petition will withstand any legal challenge.

Under the proposal, Oklahoma primaries would be open to all voters with the top two vote getters advancing to the general election. Voters would only be able to choose one candidate for each office.

Supporters need 172,993 signatures to get the measure on the ballot. They are hoping to get it on the November 2026 ballot.

Oklahoma primaries are closed, but parties can choose to open them to independents. Only Democrats currently allow independents to vote in their primaries.

Many races are decided in the primary or primary runoff, leaving some voters with no candidate to pick in the general election, where voter turnout is higher.

Republicans control all Oklahoma congressional seats, statewide elected offices and the Legislature.The filing of the initiative petition was announced in November.


Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence.

Barbara Hoberock is a senior reporter with Oklahoma Voice. She began her career in journalism in 1989 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She began with the Claremore Daily Progress and then started working in 1990 for the Tulsa World. She has covered the statehouse since 1994 and served as Tulsa World Capitol Bureau chief. She covers statewide elected officials, the legislature, agencies, state issues, appellate courts and elections.
KOSU is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.
Related Content