Oklahomans voted Tuesday, November 3, in the 2026 midterm elections, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. statewide. Republican Mike Mazzei declared victory over Democrat Cyndi Munson in the governor's race, and Munson later conceded. Republican Robert Franklin won the State Superintendent race over Democrat Jennettie Marshall, according to AP projections. Voters also defeated State Questions 845 and 847. Technical problems in Cleveland and Comanche counties delayed some reporting, and the State Election Board has not said when it will resume. For complete results and continuing coverage, the live blog is the place to follow.
Oklahoma Republican lieutenant governor nominee T.W. Shannon, a former Speaker of the Oklahoma House, has shared an article on social media backing school choice, which would let families use taxpayer funding to pick educational alternatives to public school. He wrote that Oklahoma parents should have the freedom to put their kids in the best school possible and use their own tax dollars to do it. In responses to commenters, he reaffirmed his opposition to public schools. The Oklahoma Democratic Party pointed to efforts Shannon made to cut public education while in office. His Democratic opponent, Dr. Kelly Forbes, said Oklahoma's public schools are staffed by incredible people and called for reprioritizing how public education dollars are spent.
The Statewide Charter School Board voted 7-0 Friday to appeal a federal court order it had requested and won, a move that followed a binding attorney general's opinion barring a third vote on the Ben Gamla Jewish charter school application, which has failed twice. The AG's office called the vote strange and said it will not approve spending any state dollars on the appeal, arguing the board lacks standing to bring it. A notice of appeal is due Monday. For families in Oklahoma watching charter policy, the matter remains unsettled, with the board's attorneys to discuss how and whether to pursue the appeal at a future meeting.
A new poll released by the "yes. every kid. foundation" finds that likely Oklahoma voters favor the Parental Choice Tax Credit (PCTC) by more than two to one, with 59 percent favorable and 25 percent unfavorable. Fifty-four percent support raising the program's
75 million cap so more families can take part, compared with 27 percent opposed. The Oklahoma Tax Commission reports 42,012 students are using the credit for the 2026-2027 school year, and the credit, worth $5,000 to $7,500 per child, is prioritized for families earning
50,000 or less. Demand is likely to exceed the current cap if participation grows at this year's rate in 2027-2028. The poll surveyed 608 likely voters, with a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percent.
Osage Nation police and Pawhuska police served search warrants at two sites in Pawhuska on Tuesday, after parents were called to pick up children who are homeschooled at Zhinkazhin Learning Pathways. The warrants are part of an investigation that began August 21 into property removed from the Zhinkazhin Elementary building. Police stress that the warrants do not determine guilt. Some parents said the search went too far, and families described feeling scared and confused. Some parents and members of the Osage Nation Congress are calling for Principal Chief Joe Tillman's impeachment, while others want Daposka Ahnkodapi reopened. It is not yet clear what the next step in the impeachment process will be.
Osage Nation Congress will vote Monday on two bills affecting Daposka Ahnkodapi, the tribe's private immersion school, which closed in August along with two visitor centers during a financial restructuring. One bill, from Congresswoman Jodie Revard, would allocate $4 million from the general fund to reopen the school and the centers, with nearly $3 million going to the school. The other, from Congresswoman Angela Pratt, would require Osage government agencies to get Congress's permission before authorizing any data center project on the reservation. Minerals council member Nathan Tinker Hauth has suggested that bill could override some of the council's authority. Both bills would still need the chief's signature, and he could veto them.
Oklahoma Watch found oversight gaps in the state's scholarship tax credit program, which served as the model for a new federal version that public schools can now join. In 2024 and 2025, only half of the state's eight scholarship-granting organizations met the requirement to spend 90% of donations on scholarships, and some audited financial statements were out of date. The Oklahoma Tax Commission says it lacks authority to penalize noncompliance, and it will also oversee the federal program. Oklahoma is one of 30 states that have opted in. Governors must submit their state's list of scholarship-granting organizations to the IRS before the federal program launches Jan. 1. Some public school leaders see the program as a new source of funding, while many others remain wary.
Oklahoma's Parental Choice Tax Credit offers refundable credits of $5,000 to $7,500 toward private school tuition and fees, based on federal adjusted gross income. The Tax Commission approved 39,637 applicants for 2026-27, totaling
52.3 million, and a May law raises the program cap to 75 million starting August 13, 2026. The 2026-27 application window closed June 15, and late applications are not accepted. The 2027-28 window has not been announced. Approved families can request school changes until December 31, 2026. Homeschool families may claim up to
,000 per student on their state returns. Some Democratic lawmakers argue public dollars belong in public schools, while Rep. Michelle McCane says tuition has risen to cover what families receive.
Parents of about 50 students, teachers and families gathered in Pawhuska on Thursday after the Osage Nation announced the immediate closure of its immersion school, Daposka Ahnkodapi, as part of a state of emergency tied to a $38 million budget deficit. Tribal leaders said the school costs over $3 million a year for roughly 100 enrolled students. Families said the decision caught them off guard and discussed options including homeschooling, forming an independent nonprofit, and petitioning the Tribal Congress. Parents praised the school's small classes and its role in language and cultural education, and they say they will keep exploring every avenue for their children before the school year begins.
Speaker Kyle Hilbert approved 92 of the 120 interim studies House members requested for 2026 and denied 28. Among the denied requests is one from Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, that would have examined the oversight, accountability and long-term sustainability of the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Program for students with disabilities, a program that has broadened since its 2010 start. Other denied requests came from Reps. Tom Gann, Ellen Pogemiller and Amanda Clinton, covering license plate readers, school accountability and consumer data rights. The article notes the Speaker can deny requests for reasons including cost or not wanting to elevate an issue. For families, the Henry scholarship review will not go forward this interim, though Schreiber, Pogemiller and Clinton each had other requests approved.
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