Governor of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Governor
General information
Office Type:	Partisan
Office website:	Official Link
Compensation:	$147,000
2025 FY Budget:	$3,557,940
Term limits:	2 terms
Structure
Length of term:	4 years
Authority:	Oklahoma Constitution, Article IV, Section 2
Selection Method:	Elected
Current Officeholder
Governor of Oklahoma Kevin Stitt Republican Party Assumed office: January 14, 2019
Elections
Next election:	November 3, 2026
Last election:	November 8, 2022
Other Oklahoma Executive Offices
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission

The Governor of the State of Oklahoma is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office in Oklahoma. The governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two terms.

The office was created in 1907 when Oklahoma was officially admitted to the United States as the 46th state.

Oklahoma has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.

Oklahoma has a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.

See also: Oklahoma State Legislature, Oklahoma House of Representatives, Oklahoma State Senate

Current officer

The 28th and current governor is Kevin Stitt (R). He was first elected in 2018 to a term ending in 2023. He was reelected in 2022 to a term ending in 2027.

Authority

The state Constitution addresses the office of the governor in Article IV, the Executive Department.

Under Article VI, Section 2:

The Supreme Executive power shall be vested in a Chief Magistrate, who shall be styled "The Governor of the State of Oklahoma.."

Qualifications

State Executives
Current Governors
Gubernatorial Elections
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014
Current Lt. Governors
Lt. Governor Elections
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014

A candidate for the governorship must be:

• a citizen of the United States
• at least 31 years old
• a resident of Oklahoma for at least 10 years.

Under Section Four in Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor serves a four-year term in office beginning on the second Monday in January. Oklahoma governors are restricted to eight years in office during their lifetime. These limits were instituted when voters approved State Question 747 in 2010. Prior to the passage of State Question 747, the governor could not serve more than eight consecutive years, however he could seek election again after a 4-year period had passed.

Elections

Oklahoma state government organizational chart

Oklahoma elects governors in the midterm elections, that is, even years that are not presidential election years. For Oklahoma, 2018, 2022, 2026, 2030, and 2034 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the second Monday in the January following an election.

Gubernatorial elections are held every four years. The governor is elected directly by the voters of Oklahoma. After all votes are collected, the Legislature of Oklahoma shall convene in the hall of the state House of Representatives and the Speaker of the House of Representatives announce the results of the elections in the presence of a majority of each branch of the Legislature.

The persons having the highest number of votes for the office of the governor shall be declared duly elected. However, in case two or more shall have an equal and the highest number of votes for the office of governor, the Legislature shall, by joint ballot, choose one of the said persons having an equal and the highest number of votes for the office of governor.

Term limits

See also: States with gubernatorial term limits

Oklahoma governors are restricted to eight years in office during their lifetime.

Oklahoma Constitution, Article VI, Section 4

No person shall be eligible to serve as Governor for a period of time in excess of eight (8) years. Such years need not be consecutive. Any years served by a person serving as Governor for less than full term to fill a vacancy in such office shall not be included in eight-year limitation set forth herein.

Oath of Office

"I, ........., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma, and that I will not, knowingly, receive, directly or indirectly, any money or other valuable thing, for the performance or nonperformance of any act or duty pertaining to my office, other than the compensation allowed by law; I further swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge my duties as Governor of the State of Oklahoma to the best of my ability."

Partisan composition

The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Oklahoma governors from 1992 to 2013.

2022

See also: Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of Oklahoma

Incumbent Kevin Stitt defeated Joy Hofmeister, Natalie Bruno, and Ervin Yen in the general election for Governor of Oklahoma on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kevin Stitt (R)	55.4	639,484
		Joy Hofmeister (D)	41.8	481,904
		Natalie Bruno (L)	1.4	16,243
		Ervin Yen (Independent)	1.4	15,653

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,153,284
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Paul Tay (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Oklahoma

Joy Hofmeister defeated Constance Johnson in the Democratic primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joy Hofmeister	60.7	101,913
		Constance Johnson	39.3	65,894

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 167,807
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma

Incumbent Kevin Stitt defeated Joel Kintsel, Mark Sherwood, and Moira McCabe in the Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kevin Stitt	69.1	248,525
		Joel Kintsel	14.3	51,587
		Mark Sherwood	13.3	47,713
		Moira McCabe	3.3	12,046

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 359,871
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Ervin Yen (R)

Libertarian primary election

The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Natalie Bruno advanced from the Libertarian primary for Governor of Oklahoma.

2018

See also: Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2018

General election

General election for Governor of Oklahoma

Kevin Stitt defeated Drew Edmondson and Chris Powell in the general election for Governor of Oklahoma on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kevin Stitt (R)	54.3	644,579
		Drew Edmondson (D)	42.2	500,973
		Chris Powell (L)	3.4	40,833

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,186,385 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma

Kevin Stitt defeated Mick Cornett in the Republican primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma on August 28, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kevin Stitt	54.6	164,892
		Mick Cornett	45.4	137,316

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 302,208
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian primary runoff election

Libertarian primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma

Chris Powell defeated Rex Lawhorn in the Libertarian primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma on August 28, 2018.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Rex Lawhorn
✔		Chris Powell

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Oklahoma

Drew Edmondson defeated Constance Johnson in the Democratic primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Drew Edmondson	61.4	242,764
		Constance Johnson	38.6	152,730

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 395,494
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mick Cornett	29.3	132,806
✔		Kevin Stitt	24.4	110,479
		Todd Lamb	23.9	107,985
		Dan Fisher	7.9	35,818
		Gary Jones	5.6	25,243
	Submit photo	Gary Richardson	4.0	18,185
		Blake Cowboy Stephens	2.7	12,211
	Submit photo	Christopher Barnett	1.2	5,240
	Submit photo	Barry Gowdy	0.5	2,347
	Submit photo	Eric Foutch	0.5	2,292

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 452,606
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for Governor of Oklahoma

Chris Powell and Rex Lawhorn advanced to a runoff. They defeated Joe Exotic in the Libertarian primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chris Powell	48.9	1,740
✔	Submit photo	Rex Lawhorn	32.4	1,154
		Joe Exotic	18.7	664

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 3,558
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2014

See also: Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2014

Republican incumbent Mary Fallin won re-election on November 4, 2014.

Governor of Oklahoma, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mary Fallin Incumbent	55.8%	460,298
	Democratic	Joe Dorman	41%	338,239
	Independent	Kimberly Willis	2.1%	17,169
	Independent	Richard Prawdzienski	1.1%	9,125
Total Votes				824,831
Election results via Oklahoma State Election Board

To view the electoral history dating back to 2002 for the office of Governor of Oklahoma, click [show] to expand the section.

2010 On November 2, 2010, Mary Fallin won election to the office of Governor of Oklahoma. She defeated Jari Askins in the general election. Governor of Oklahoma, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Mary Fallin 60.4% 625,506      Democratic Jari Askins 39.6% 409,261 Total Votes 1,034,767 Election results via Oklahoma State Election Board. 2006 On November 7, 2006, Brad Henry won re-election to the office of Governor of Oklahoma. He defeated Ernest Istook in the general election. Governor of Oklahoma, 2006 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Brad Henry Incumbent 66.5% 616,135      Republican Ernest Istook 33.5% 310,327 Total Votes 926,462 Election results via Oklahoma State Election Board. 2002 On November 5, 2002, Brad Henry won election to the office of Governor of Oklahoma. He defeated Steve Largent and Gary Richardson in the general election. Governor of Oklahoma, 2002 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Brad Henry 43.3% 448,143      Republican Steve Largent 42.6% 441,277      Independent Gary Richardson 14.1% 146,200 Total Votes 1,035,620 Election results via Oklahoma State Board of Elections.

Creation and history

Before statehood in 1907, modern-day Oklahoma was composed of the Oklahoma and Indian Territories. While Indian Territory remained under the semi-independence of the Indian nations, the Oklahoma Territory was organized territory under the supervision of the United States Congress. Within the territory, a tripartite government existed, including a territorial assembly, a territorial supreme court, and a territorial governor.

The executive branch of the territory’s government was headed by the Governor of Oklahoma Territory. The governor was appointed by the President of the United States to serve a four-year term. Despite a set term, the governor served at the pleasure of the president. The president could remove the governor from office at any moment.

The governor was the head of the Government of the Territory. He had the power to veto legislation proposed by the territorial legislature and the power to appoint members to his cabinet, who in turn had to be ratified by the legislature. The governor had the power to appoint justices to the territory’s supreme court. The governor was responsible to the president for addressing issues in the territory and served as the representative to the federal government of the United States. He was also the commander-in-chief of the territory’s militia.

After the Oklahoma Constitution was written and accepted in 1907, Oklahoma and Indian Territories were joined as the State of Oklahoma. The office of territorial governor was replaced by the Governor of Oklahoma. The new office possessed many of the territorial governor’s powers and similar responsibilities. However, the governorship was designed with new restrictions, limits, and legislative and judicial oversight.

Governor Charles N. Haskell, an author of the Oklahoma Constitution, left office in 1911 following accusations of bribery and misappropriated funds. In the 20 years after Haskell, the legislature limited the powers of the office. It was not until William H. Murray, another one of the Constitution’s authors, took office in 1935 that the governorship regained its powers.

As Oklahoma grew and the state government expanded, the governor became gradually more powerful. As more agencies were introduced, the governor’s appointment power extended to them all, granting the office greater indirect influence over the government. Also, while a sitting governor was initially ineligible to serve for more than one consecutive term at a time, in 1975 Oklahomans amended the constitution to allow the governor to serve two consecutive terms.

In 1986, the governorship saw its greatest gain in power since the time of Haskell. With the institution of the Executive Branch Reform Act, the governor was given greater administrative power over all of Oklahoma’s agencies through the Oklahoma State Cabinet. This allowed the governor’s executive orders to take effect faster and carry greater force throughout the state.

Partisan balance 1992-2013

See also: Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States and Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States, Oklahoma

Partisan breakdown of the Oklahoma governorship from 1992-2013

From 1992-2013, in Oklahoma there were Democratic governors in office for 11 years while there were Republican governors in office for 11 years, including the last three. Oklahoma was under Republican trifectas for the last three years of the study period.

Across the country, there were 493 years of Democratic governors (44.82%) and 586 years of Republican governors (53.27%) from 1992 to 2013.

Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states had divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.

The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.

SQLI and partisanship

The chart below depicts the partisanship of the Oklahoma state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-50, with 1 being the best and 50 the worst. During the years of the study, Oklahoma had both Democratic and Republican trifectas. Its Democratic trifectas occurred from 1992-1994 and from 2003-2004. Its Republican trifectas occurred from 2011-2013. Oklahoma's SQLI ranking was in the bottom-10 for many years of the study, finishing 44th in 1994 at its lowest. In more recent years of the study, however, the state's ranking improved, finishing 31st in 2011 at its highest. Oklahoma's worst ranking occurred during a Democratic trifecta, and its best occurred during a Republican trifecta.

• SQLI average with Democratic trifecta: 41.80
• SQLI average with Republican trifecta: 31.50
• SQLI average with divided government: 40.64

Chart displaying the partisanship of Oklahoma government from 1992-2013 and the State Quality of Life Index (SQLI).

Vacancies

See also: How gubernatorial vacancies are filled

Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article VI, Sections 15 and 16.

Partial text of Section 15: Impeachment, etc., during Vacancy in Governor's Office If, during a vacancy of the office of Governor, the Lieutenant Governor shall be impeached, displaced, resign, die or be absent from the State, or become incapable of performing the duties of the office, the president, pro tempore, of the Senate, shall act as Governor until the vacancy be filled or the disability shall cease; and if the president, pro tempore, of the Senate, for any of the above enumerated causes, shall become incapable of performing the duties pertaining to the office of Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall act as Governor until the vacancy be filled or the disability shall cease. Further provisions for succession to the office of Governor shall be prescribed by law.

Text of Section 16: Devolution of Powers and Duties of Governor upon Lieutenant Governor In case of impeachment of the Governor, or of his death, failure to qualify, resignation, removal from the State, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the office, the said office, with its compensation, shall devolve upon the Lieutenant Governor for the residue of the term or until the disability shall be removed.

Emergency Interim Successor

If, for any reason, the governor is unable to exercise his or her powers and discharge the duties of the office and the Lieutenant Governor, President pro tempore of the Senate, and Speaker of the House are unable to act as governor, then the next official in the line of succession becomes the emergency interim successor. As the emergency interim successor to the governor, the officer may exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the governor until a new governor is elected or until the disability is removed from the governor or higher official. In no event, however, shall the emergency interim successor serve as governor.

An emergency interim successor to the governor may only act after a man-made or natural emergency or disaster has occurred in the United States. The Oklahoma Legislature, by concurrent resolution, may, at any time, terminate the authority of any emergency interim successor to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the governor.

Duties

Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma. The governor is the ex officio commander-in-chief of the Oklahoma National Guard when not called into federal use.

Despite being an executive branch official, the governor also possesses legislative and judicial powers. The governor's responsibilities include making yearly State of the State addresses to the Oklahoma Legislature.

Executive Powers

The governor, according to the Oklahoma Constitution, must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." The governor is vested with supreme executive power as the state's Chief Magistrate and acts as head of the Executive department of Oklahoma, granting him or her the ability to issue executive orders which are binding throughout the State of Oklahoma. The governor is the "conservator of the peace throughout the State," making him or her the chief peace officer in the state. As chief peace officer, the governor is granted command over all state and local law enforcement agencies. In the event that regular law enforcement is unable to execute the law, the governor, acting as commander-in-chief of Oklahoma’s militia, may call out the Oklahoma National Guard to "execute the laws, protect the public health, suppress insurrection, and repel invasion." The governor is assisted in managing the military of Oklahoma by the Adjutant General of Oklahoma, who is appointed by the governor.

The governor has the power to commission all officers not otherwise commissioned by the law of Oklahoma and is granted the power of appointment. When any office at the state level becomes vacant for any reason, the governor, unless otherwise provided by law, has the power to appoint a person to fill such vacancy, who shall continue in office until a successor shall have been elected or appointed according to the law of Oklahoma. This power extends to all federal representatives of Oklahoma, including United States House of Representatives and United States Senate, in which case the governor calls for special elections to fill the remainder of the term. In the case of senators, the governor is empowered to immediately appoint someone to temporarily fill the vacant seat until a special election can be held.

Within the executive branch of Oklahoma government, the governor is assisted by the lieutenant governor, the secretary of state, the attorney general, and the state treasurer, among others. While all the other high-level executive offices are elected directly by the people of Oklahoma, the secretary of state is not. The secretary of state is appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate for a term of four years to run concurrently with the term of the governor. Due to the large number of state agencies, the governor is assisted in running the government through the use of the Oklahoma State Cabinet, which the governor is allowed to organize to best serve him or her. Through the state cabinet, the governor can address the assembled heads of Oklahoma's executive branch departments which oversee all of Oklahoma's agencies. Each department is headed by a secretary appointed by the governor and is responsible for carrying out his executive orders throughout their department.

The governor is an ex officio chairman of many state commissions and committees, such as the Oklahoma Commissioners of Land Office, the Oklahoma Board of Education, and the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. While not a member, the governor has the power to appoint all or some of the members of most of the executive commissions and state commissions with the advice and consent of the Oklahoma State Senate, such as the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma.

The governor is also responsible for preparing the government budget of Oklahoma for the next fiscal year, although the legislature must approve it.

Legislative Powers

Like the President of the United States, the governor plays a major role in the legislative process, even though legislative power is vested in the Oklahoma Legislature. Every bill that is passed by both the Oklahoma State Senate and Oklahoma House of Representatives, and every resolution requiring the assent of both chambers of the legislature, must, before it becomes a law, be presented to the governor. The governor may choose to sign it or veto it and send it back to the legislature. The governor’s veto can only be overridden by a two-thirds approval vote from each house.

The governor is granted the power of the line-item veto over appropriation bills. As with normal bills, they must be presented to the governor for his or her approval. If he or she disapproves of any part of the bill, the governor may send that part of the bill back to the legislature. However, the part of which he or she approves becomes law. Any item, or items, so disapproved by the governor in this manner become void, unless the legislature re-passes them by a two-thirds vote.

Much of the legislation dealt with by the legislature is drafted at the initiative of the governor or the governor's staff. In annual and special messages to the legislature, the governor may propose legislation he or she believes is necessary. The most important of these is the annual State of the State Address. Before a joint session of the legislature, the Governor outlines the status of the state and his or her legislative proposals for the upcoming year. The governor is primarily in a position to influence public opinion and thereby to influence the course of legislation in the legislature.

The governor has the power to convoke the legislature, or the state Senate only, on extraordinary occasions. At extraordinary sessions, no subject shall be acted upon, except such as the governor may recommend for consideration. Whenever a vacancy occurs within the legislature, the governor shall issue a writ of election to fill such vacancies. In case of a disagreement between the two houses of the legislature, at a regular or special session, the governor may adjourn them to such time as he or she shall deem proper, not beyond the day of the next stated meeting of the legislature. The governor may convoke the Legislature or adjourn it to another place, when, in his or her opinion, the public safety or welfare, or the safety or health of the members require it. However, such a change or adjournment shall be concurred in by a two-thirds vote of all the members of each branch of the legislature.

Judicial Powers

The governor also plays an active role within the judicial branch of Oklahoma's government. Oklahoma has a judicial nominating commission consisting of 13 members that review all potential justices and judges of Oklahoma's appellate courts, such as the Oklahoma Supreme Court, and review them to determine if they qualify to hold their respective positions. Of these 13 members, the governor appoints six without the consent of the legislature. All of the governor's appointments serve for a term of six years each; the terms are staggered so that approximately one-third of the appointments become vacant every two years.

In the event of a vacancy upon the Supreme Court or on the Court of Criminal Appeals, the nominating commission shall choose and submit to the governor and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court three nominees, each of whom has previously notified the commission in writing that he or she will serve as a justice if appointed. Once three potential justices or judges are approved by the committee, the governor appoints one to serve on the court. If the governor fails to do appoint a nominee within 60 days, the state's chief justice shall appoint one of the nominees. After the justice's or judge's first six years in office, they must stand for retention by the people of Oklahoma for another six-year term.

The governor also possesses the power to grant commutations, pardons, and paroles for all offenses, except cases of impeachment, upon such conditions and with such restrictions and limitations as he or she may deem proper, subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by law. However, the governor shall not have the power to grant paroles if a convict has been sentenced to death or sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. In order to grant a pardon to an individual, the governor must submit the name of the individual to a state Parole and Pardons Board composed of five members, three of which are appointed by the governor at the beginning of his or her term in office to serve a term that coincides with his or her own. After reviewing the applicant for clemency, and a favorable vote from the majority, the board may empower the governor to make such acts of clemency as he or she deems necessary.

The governor, however, shall have power to grant after conviction, reprieves, or a leave of absence not to exceed 60 days, without the action of the board. He or she shall communicate to the legislature, at each regular session, each case of reprieve, commutation, parole, or pardon granted, stating the name of the convict, the crime of which he or she was convicted, the date and place of conviction, and the date of commutation, pardon, parole, and reprieve.

Emergency Powers

In the event that a natural or man-made emergency occurs or is anticipated in the immediate future, the governor gains several emergency powers to better respond to the emergency and combat the threat. Either the governor through executive order or the Oklahoma Legislature through concurrent resolution may declare a state of emergency. Once declared, the governor may exercise additional emergency powers. To assist the governor in fulfilling his or her emergency power, the governor may establish such offices, boards, agencies, or positions as deemed necessary to carry his or her orders into effect.

When carrying out the functions of the office's emergency powers, the governor is immune from civil liability for any loss or injury resulting from any decision, determination, order, or action in the performance of his or her assigned duties and responsibilities during a stated emergency. However, this immunity does not apply when such loss or injury is caused by gross negligence, or a willfully and unnecessary negligent act by the governor.

The governor, through executive order, or the legislature, through concurrent resolution, may declare an end to the state of emergency and suspend the governor's emergency powers.

Preparations

In non-emergency situations, the governor is responsible for preparing and annually updating a comprehensive plan and program for emergency management of the state to be known as the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). The EOP serves as a guide for the governor to follow in protecting the state and its citizens during any emergency. The EOP is required to be integrated into and coordinated with the plans of the federal government and of other states to the fullest possible extent, and the governor must coordinate the preparation of plans and programs for emergency management by the political subdivisions of the state.

To prepare for all potential emergencies, the governor may procure supplies and equipment in accordance with the EOP. These supplies may be used to institute emergency management training and public information programs. In taking preparatory steps, the governor may act on any or all parts of the emergency management organization in advance to ensure adequate training and equipment to respond in times of need.

In addition to the prevention measures established by the state and local emergency management plans, the governor shall consider on a continuing basis steps that could be taken to mitigate the harmful consequences of emergencies to the state. At the governor's direction, state agencies charged with responsibilities involved in emergency management shall make studies of matters related to potential responses for limiting the effects of emergencies. The governor, from time to time, shall make such recommendations to the Legislature, to political subdivisions, and to other appropriate public and private entities as may facilitate measures to prevent or lessen the effects of emergencies.

Activation

Upon activating the EOP, the governor assumes direct regulatory control over all essential resources of the state. It will then be the responsibility of the governor to determine the priorities of such resources and allocate them as the governor may deem necessary. These resources include, but are not limited to, food, manpower, water, transportation, economic stabilization, electric power, petroleum, gas, and solid fuel, industrial production, construction, and housing.

In order to ensure security, the governor gains vast police power. To enforce all laws, rules, and regulations relating to emergency management, the governor assumes direct operational control of any or all emergency management forces of the state, including the Oklahoma National Guard, state police agencies, as well as county sheriffs and local police departments. These emergency police powers extend to providing for the evacuation of all or part of the state’s population from any affected or threatened area or areas within the state, regulating the conduct of civilians and the movement of pedestrians and vehicular traffic, and regulating public meetings and gatherings. The governor is responsible for providing for the care of all those regulated by his or her orders or forced to evacuate.

During a state of emergency, the governor is authorized to utilize the services, equipment, supplies, and facilities of all departments, offices, and agencies of the state to the maximum extent practicable. All state, county, and local officers and personnel must cooperate with the governor in emergency management upon his or her direction. Willful failure to obey any order, rule, or regulation issued by the governor in this manner may result in removal from office by the governor after the officer has had the charges serviced to them and an opportunity to defend themselves. Pending the presentation of charges, the governor may suspend such officers for a period not to exceed thirty days. Any vacancy resulting from removal or suspension shall be filled by the governor until it is filled as provided by state law.

In managing the emergency, the governor is fully authorized to cooperate with the federal government, with other states, and with private agencies in all matters pertaining to the emergency management of the state and of the nation.

Divisions

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Governor of Oklahoma has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

State budget

Role in state budget

See also: Oklahoma state budget and finances

The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:

1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in August.
2. State agencies submit their budget requests to the governor by October 1.
3. Agency hearings are held from November through January.
4. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature in February.
5. The legislature typically adopts a budget in May. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

Oklahoma is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.

The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the legislature is required to pass a balanced budget.

Governor's office budget

The budget for the governor's office in Fiscal Year 2025 was $3,557,940.

Compensation

See also: Comparison of gubernatorial salaries and Compensation of state executive officers

See statutes: Title 74, Chapter 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes

Title 74, Chapter 10, Section 250.4 (§74‑250.4) of the Oklahoma Statutes sets the governor's annual salary equal to that of the Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, payable monthly. The amount of compensation is prescribed by law, pursuant to Article VI, Section 34 of the Oklahoma Constitution:

Each of the officers in this article named shall, at stated times, during his continuance in office, receive for his services a compensation, which shall not be increased or diminished during the term for which he shall have been elected; nor shall he receive to his use, any fees, cost, or perquisites of office or other compensation.

2023

In 2023, the officer's salary was $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2021

In 2021, the governor received a salary of $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2020

In 2020, the governor received a salary of $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2019

In 2019, the governor received a salary of $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2018

In 2018, the governor received a salary of $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2017

In 2017, the governor received a salary of $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2016

In 2016, the governor received a salary of $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2015

In 2015, the governor received a salary of $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2014

In 2014, the governor received a salary of $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2013

In 2013, the governor's salary remained at $147,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2010

In 2010, the governor was paid $147,000 a year, the 17th highest gubernatorial salary in America at the time.

Historical officeholders

There have been 28 governors of Oklahoma since 1907. Of the 28 officeholders, six were Republican, and 22 were Democratic.

List of officeholders from 1907-present
#	Name	Tenure	Party
1	Charles Nathaniel Haskell	1907 - 1911	Democratic
2	Lee Cruce	1911 - 1915	Democratic
3	Robert Lee Williams	1915 - 1919	Democratic
4	James Brooks Ayers Robertson	1919 - 1923	Democratic
5	John Callaway (Jack) Walton	1923 - 1923	Democratic
6	Martin Edwin Trapp	1923 - 1927	Democratic
7	Henry Simpson Johnston	1927 - 1929	Democratic
8	William Judson Holloway	1929 - 1931	Democratic
9	William Henry Murray	1931 - 1935	Democratic
10	Ernest Whitworth Marland	1935 - 1939	Democratic
11	Leon Chase Phillips	1939 - 1943	Democratic
12	Robert Samuel Kerr	1943 - 1947	Democratic
13	Roy Joseph Turner	1947 - 1951	Democratic
14	Johnston Murray	1951 - 1955	Democratic
15	Raymond Dancel Gary	1955 - 1959	Democratic
16	James Howard Edmondson	1959 - 1963	Democratic
17	George Patterson Nigh	1963 - 1963	Democratic
18	Henry Louis Bellmon	1963 - 1967	Republican
19	Dewey Follett Bartlett	1967 - 1971	Republican
20	David Hall	1971 - 1975	Democratic
21	David Lyle Boren	1975 - 1979	Democratic
22	George Patterson Nigh	1979 – 1987	Democratic
23	Henry Louis Bellmon	1987 – 1991	Republican
24	David Lee Walters	1991 - 1995	Democratic
25	Francis Anthony Keating	1995 - 2003	Republican
26	Brad Henry	2003 - 2011	Democratic
27	Mary Fallin	2011 – 2019	Republican
28	Kevin Stitt	2019 – present	Republican

State profile

Demographic data for Oklahoma
	Oklahoma	U.S.
Total population:	3,907,414	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	68,595	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	73.1%	73.6%
Black/African American:	7.2%	12.6%
Asian:	1.9%	5.1%
Native American:	7.3%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more:	7.8%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	9.6%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	86.9%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	24.1%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$46,879	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	19.7%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Oklahoma. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Oklahoma

Oklahoma voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

More Oklahoma coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Oklahoma
• United States congressional delegations from Oklahoma
• Public policy in Oklahoma
• Endorsers in Oklahoma
• Oklahoma fact checks
• More...

Contact information

State Capitol Building
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 212
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Phone:405-521-2342

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Office of the Governor of Oklahoma