By Fox23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA CITY — Legislation that would significantly change Oklahoma’s election calendar is moving forward at the state Capitol.
Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow) recently introduced Oklahoma House Bill 2425, which would shift the timing of several elections and candidate filing deadlines. The bill passed a House committee this week with a 9–2 vote and now heads to the House floor.
Supporters say the proposal would better align Oklahoma elections with the national calendar and could increase voter participation. Critics argue the changes could favor incumbents and well-funded candidates.
If the legislation becomes law, Oklahoma’s election timeline would shift earlier in the year.
Under the current system:
- Primary elections are held in June
- Primary runoffs are held in August
The proposal would move those elections earlier:
- Primary elections would move to March
- Runoff elections would move to June
Lawmakers behind the bill say aligning the primary with presidential election activity could increase turnout.
“We have a situation every four years where we have a presidential election in March with a very high turnout,” Hilbert said. “The thought being let’s align those election dates in March to try and improve turnout by consolidating those election dates and making sure we have a more informed electorate.”
The bill would also change when candidates must officially enter a race.
Currently, candidates typically file for office in April of the election year.
Under the proposal, candidates would need to file by December of the year before the election.
For example, someone planning to run in the 2028 election would need to file their candidacy by December 2027.
Supporters say this could reduce overlapping election timelines and give officials more time to manage the election process.
Opponents argue that the earlier deadlines could benefit incumbents and candidates with stronger financial backing.
State Rep. Andy Fugate (D-OKC) questioned whether the change could give sitting lawmakers more time during the legislative session without worrying about challengers filing against them.
“The flip side of that is it effectively gives legislators an entire session to do as they will without having to worry about someone filing against them,” Fugate said during the committee hearing.
Advocacy groups also say the change could limit potential candidates and reduce accountability.
Teresa Gawey, with the organization Good Trouble Tulsa, said the proposal could narrow the field of candidates.
“We are already last in the nation with voter turnout, that it would limit the field with viable candidates, and that it would diminish public accountability in our elections,” Gawey said.
She also raised concerns about how the proposal was introduced through what lawmakers call a “shell bill,” where placeholder legislation is filed before deadlines and later amended with detailed language.
“We feel Oklahomans have a right to meaningful notice and should have the opportunity to engage with legislation that affects how we participate in democracy,” Gawey said. “So we feel that the process was denied with that short notice.”
Gawey said the next step will be the House floor vote.
“Now it will go to the House floor, so we encourage anyone who is concerned and interested in this to contact their House representatives and ask them to vote no on this legislation,” she said.
If approved, the changes would move Oklahoma closer to the election calendar used in several other states, including Texas, which holds its primary elections in March.
The bill must still pass the full Oklahoma House before moving to the Senate for consideration.
You can look at the full legislation by clicking here.
