Oklahoma Votes June 16: An Open Senate Seat, an Open Governorship, and a Wide-Open First District

Tuesday, June 16, 2026 is primary day in Oklahoma, the last of the cycle's June primaries. Oklahoma runs a closed primary, so you must be registered with a party to vote its ballot, and the parties kept independents out for 2026. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. In any race where no candidate wins a majority, the top two finishers return for a runoff on August 25.

Below is what is on the ballot, where to look up your polling place, and a few things worth knowing before you go.

U.S. Senate: an open seat after a mid-term resignation

The Senate seat is open. Republican Markwayne Mullin resigned in March 2026 to become Secretary of Homeland Security after the Senate confirmed him, and the special primary to finish the term is the marquee race on Oklahoma's ballot. Republican Kevin Hern, who represented the 1st District, left his House seat to run and carries President Trump's endorsement. He faces William Sean Buckner, Gary Ty England, Nicky Joe Hankins, and Brian Ragain in the Republican primary. On the Democratic side, Jim Priest, Ervin Yen, R.O. Cassity, Troy Green, and N'Kiyla Thomas are running. The seat is rated Safe Republican for November.

Governor: an open race for an open seat

The governorship is open because Republican Kevin Stitt is term-limited. The Republican field is large and led by Attorney General Gentner Drummond, with former House Speaker Charles McCall, former state senator Mike Mazzei, and businessman Chip Keating among those running. On the Democratic side, House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson and former state senator Constance Johnson are on the ballot. The general election is rated Safe Republican.

U.S. House: one open seat, four incumbents on the ballot

OK-1 is open because Hern left it for the Senate, and the Republican primary to replace him is the largest in the district's history. The field includes state senator Kim David, pastor Jackson Lahmeyer, who holds President Trump's endorsement, and Mark Tedford, among others. John Croisant is on the Democratic side. The seat is rated Safe Republican.

The other four districts have Republican incumbents seeking another term: Josh Brecheen in OK-2, Frank Lucas in OK-3, Tom Cole in OK-4, and Stephanie Bice in OK-5. All five Oklahoma House seats are rated Safe Republican. Find your district at the Oklahoma ballot lookup.

Before you go: rules to know

A few things worth knowing for June 16:

• Closed primary. Only voters registered with a party may vote that party's ballot, and the deadline to register or change party has passed. Independents cannot vote in either major party's primary this year.
• The August 25 runoff. Oklahoma holds a runoff in any primary where no candidate wins a majority. If you vote in one party's primary on June 16, you may only vote in that same party's runoff.
• Poll hours. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. If you are in line by 7 p.m., you may vote.
• Bring ID. Oklahoma asks for identification at the polls. We covered the specifics in what to bring on Election Day.
• Provisional ballots. If your name is missing from the rolls, the machine rejects your ID, or you are told you are at the wrong polling place, ask for a provisional ballot. You have a legal right to one, and it will be counted if you were eligible to vote.
• For your federal picks, you can mark your Senate and House selections ahead of time with a My Ballot account and pull them up on your phone in line. For state and county offices, your county election board's sample ballot is the source of truth.

Not voting on June 16?

Check the election calendar for the next primary date in your state and its registration deadline.

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