Early voting up in Payne County; SQ 845, 847 polls

Payne County voters cast 4,871 in-person early ballots Wednesday through Saturday, up 12.5% from the 2022 midterm general election, according to Oklahoma State Election Board data.

That is 542 more early voters than the 4,329 who voted early in Payne County four years ago, the last midterm election. Early voting ran Wednesday, Oct. 28, through Saturday, Oct. 31, ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election.

The county's increase trailed the state's. Statewide, 186,488 Oklahomans voted early in person, up 40.9% from 132,332 in 2022. Payne County accounted for 2.6% of the state's early voters this year, down from 3.3% in 2022.

This year's early vote fell short of the 2024 presidential election, when 7,726 Payne County voters cast early in-person ballots. The 2026 total is 37% lower. Statewide, early voting in 2024 set a record, and State Election Board spokesperson Misha Mohr told Oklahoma Voice at the time that all but one county set early voting records that cycle.

Voters wait in a roped-off line beside a sample ballot display as an election worker at Station 1 checks in voters during early voting at the Payne County Expo Center. — Voters wait in line as an election worker checks in voters during early voting Saturday. Unlike on Election Day, early voters must fill out and sign a green Application for In-Person Absentee Ballots form before receiving a ballot, according to Oklahoma State Election Board rules. – Photo by Chris Peters

Payne County early voting outpaced 2022 on each of the four days. The county recorded 1,391 early voters Wednesday, 1,279 Thursday, 1,309 Friday and 892 Saturday. Saturday drew the largest gain over 2022, up 27% from 702 voters on the final day of early voting four years ago.

Payne County in-person early voters by day. Daily figures are the difference between the Oklahoma State Election Board's cumulative reports. Source: Oklahoma State Election Board, Absentee In-person Totals by Affiliation reports.
Day	2022 midterm	2024 presidential	2026 midterm
Wednesday	1,218	2,182	1,391
Thursday	1,136	1,943	1,279
Friday	1,273	2,274	1,309
Saturday	702	1,327	892
Total	4,329	7,726	4,871

Registered Republicans made up 47.8% of this year's Payne County early voters, with 2,329. Registered Democrats made up 38.9%, with 1,893, and independents made up 13%, with 633. Sixteen registered Libertarians voted early. The figures reflect voters' party registration, not how they voted.

Compared with 2022, the number of registered Republicans voting early rose 14.8%, from 2,028. Registered Democrats rose 8.6%, from 1,743, and independents rose 17.2%, from 540.

The county had also received 618 mail absentee ballots as of Saturday evening, out of 966 sent to voters, according to the State Election Board. Five ballots were returned as undeliverable. Combined with in-person early voting, 5,489 Payne County ballots had been cast before Election Day.

County election boards report early voting totals to the state manually, and the State Election Board notes the figures are not updated in real time. The 2026 figures come from a report run at 8:34 p.m. Saturday. The 2022 and 2024 totals come from the state's last reports before each Election Day.

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Reader poll results on the state questions

Most Stillwegian members who voted in The Stillwegian's reader polls said they plan to vote against both state questions on Tuesday's ballot.

In the poll on State Question 845, 92% of 104 votes were against the proposal and 8% were for it. In the poll on State Question 847, 85% of 111 votes were against the proposal and 15% were for it.

2026 Election Desk

Stillwegian reader poll

Stillwegian members who chose to take part. Unscientific snapshot of readers — not a survey of Payne County or Oklahoma voters.

State Question 845 · 104 votes

Against — No9692%

For — Yes88%

State Question 847 · 111 votes

Against — No9485%

For — Yes1715%

Source: The Stillwegian reader poll, conducted on Outpost Oct. 27–30, 2026. Anonymous, one vote per member.

SQ 845: Judicial Nominating Commission

SQ 845 would change who can serve on the 15-member Judicial Nominating Commission, which screens applicants for Oklahoma's highest courts and sends the governor three names for each opening. According to the ballot title, the measure would:

allow any number of commissioners to be licensed attorneys
remove party limits on the governor's appointees and at-large members
let commissioners serve consecutive terms
base appointments on current congressional districts

Supporters, including Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Sapulpa, who carried the measure in the Senate, say it would expand the pool of eligible commissioners and improve political balance. Opponents, including the Oklahoma Policy Institute and Senate Democrats, say it removes safeguards voters adopted in 1967 after a bribery scandal on the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Q 845, Aaron Means, the Republican challenging Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, in House District 34, said he supports it. Ranson; Rep. Jim Shaw, R-Chandler, of House District 32; Shaw's independent challenger, Andy Brown of Prague; and Rep. Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle, of House District 33, said they oppose it.

Max E. Burchett Jr., the Democrat challenging Jenkins, had not responded to The Stillwegian's follow-up questions on either state question.

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SQ 847: Property tax valuation caps

SQ 847 would lower the caps on how fast a property's taxable value can grow each year, starting with tax year 2027. Homesteads and agricultural land would drop from 3% to 1.75%, and most other real property would drop from 5% to 4%. It would also change the senior freeze for homeowners 65 and older.

Supporters, including House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, and the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, describe it as property tax relief. Opponents, including the Oklahoma Policy Institute, Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce and Meridian Technology Center Superintendent Doug Major, say it would limit future revenue for schools, technology centers and local governments. They also say it may not lower bills, because local governments must still repay voter-approved bonds.

Among area House candidates, Shaw and Jenkins said they support SQ 847. Ranson and Means said they oppose it, and Brown said he was undecided.

The Stillwegian's earlier stories on SQ 845 and SQ 847 include the full arguments from each side, candidate responses and links to the ballot language.

How to vote Tuesday

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. Every registered Oklahoma voter may vote on both state questions, regardless of party. Find your polling place and view a sample ballot at okvoterportal.okelections.gov. The Stillwegian's 2026 Election Desk has information on candidates and races on the Payne County ballot.

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