Payne County Democrats

Here is a voter guide for the upcoming August 25th and November 3rd Democratic elections with information about the two State Questions and links to candidate websites. All registered voters of any party or Independents will be able to vote on the State Questions.

AUGUST 25TH RUN-OFF
US Senate - N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas https://www.jasmineforok.com/about - Jim Priest https://jimpriest.com/about/
2 State Questions–844 and 846
Oklahoma State Question 844 is a legislatively referred constitutional
amendment on the August 25, 2026 ballot.
What is it?
Currently, Oklahoma gives new or expanding manufacturing plants a 5-year
property tax exemption to encourage business growth. By law, the state must
fully reimburse local entities—like public schools, cities, counties, and
libraries—for the tax revenue they lose because of these exemptions.
If passed, SQ 844 would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to give the state
legislature the power to set the specific levels and methodologies for how those
local governments and school districts are reimbursed. The goal stated in the
amendment is to ensure no individual county receives payouts that create a
financial detriment to other counties.
Key Shifts
● Reimbursement Control: Instead of automatically covering the full loss of
tax revenue under the old statutory setup, the legislature would design the
formula and determine how much funding to allocate.
● Local Debt Limits: It adjusts how local debt limits are calculated. If the
state reimburses a district for 100% of its lost manufacturing tax revenue,
the full value of the property counts toward its debt limit. If the state
reimburses less than 100%, the property's assessed value drops
proportionally for debt calculations.
Voter Choices
● A "YES" vote supports giving the legislature authority to establish new
funding levels and formulas for these manufacturing tax reimbursements.
● A "NO" vote opposes the change, keeping the current constitutional
requirement for how local entities are paid back for the lost tax revenue.
Where to Find More Information
● Read the official legal text and summary via the Oklahoma State Election
Board Ballot Title PDF.
● Review comprehensive arguments, legislative history, and vote counts on
the Ballotpedia page for State Question 844.
Oklahoma State Question 846 is a legislatively referred constitutional
amendment sharing the August 25, 2026 ballot alongside SQ 844.
What is it?
SQ 846 seeks to elevate the state’s current voter identification requirements by
embedding them directly into the Oklahoma Constitution.
Currently, Oklahoma voters are already required by state law to show proof of
identity at the polling place (a mandate originally enacted by voters via State
Question 746 back in 2010). Because that rule exists only in state statute, future
legislatures could theoretically change or repeal it without a vote of the public. If
SQ 846 passes, voter ID requirements would become a permanent fixture of the
state constitution, meaning any future attempts to remove the requirement would
have to go back to a vote of the people.
Key Details
● The Mandate: The amendment would constitutionally require voters to
provide proof of identity when casting a ballot by any authorized method in
any election run by a county or state election board.
● The Rules: The amendment itself does not define what specific documents
count as valid ID; it explicitly leaves it up to the state legislature to write
laws defining those requirements. (As of 2026, state law accepts unexpired
photo IDs issued by the U.S. government, the State of Oklahoma, or a
federally recognized Native American tribe, or a voter identification card).
Voter Choices
● A "YES" vote supports creating a strict constitutional requirement for
voters to provide proof of identity to vote.
● A "NO" vote opposes adding the rule to the constitution, keeping the
current voter ID regulations anchored in state statutory law only.
Where to Find More Information
● Read the exact language using the Oklahoma State Election Board Ballot
Title PDF.
● Track the legislative history (introduced as SJR 47), historical voter ID
timelines, and political arguments on the Ballotpedia page for State
Question 846.
NOVEMBER BALLOT
Governor - Cyndi Munson https://www.cyndimunson.com/
Lt. Governor - Kelly Forbes
State Superintendent - Jennettie Marshall
https://www.marshallforoklahoma.com/about
Corporate Commissioner - https://www.eastman2026.com/
Attorney General - Nick Coffey for Attorney General
Commissioner of Labor - Kevin Dawson - Oklahoma Labor
Commissioner
Insurance Commissioner - Craig MacIntyre for Insurance
Commissioner
US Congress- District 3 - Suzie Byrd for Congress
State Representative HD33-- Burchett For Oklahoma House District 33
2 State questions-845 and 847
Oklahoma State Question 845 is a legislatively referred constitutional
amendment on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot.
What is it?
The measure proposes sweeping structural and eligibility changes to Oklahoma's
Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC). The 15-member commission is a
non-partisan body responsible for screening applicants and selecting a list of
finalists for vacancies on the state's highest courts (the Oklahoma Supreme
Court, Court of Civil Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals) before the governor
makes an appointment.
Key Shifts
● Congressional Districts: Currently, JNC seats are tied to geographic lines
from Oklahoma's 1967 congressional districts. SQ 845 would modernize
this by requiring member selections to be based on the state's modern,
contemporary congressional districts as they are drawn at the time of
appointment.
● Removing Partisan Caps: It eliminates existing rules that limit how many
commissioners can belong to the same political party. (Currently, no more
than three governor appointees or two at-large members can share a
party).
● Allowing More Attorneys: It strikes down current prohibitions that block
licensed attorneys or individuals with lawyers in their immediate family from
filling the commission's designated non-lawyer ("lay") seats.
● Term Extensions: It allows commissioners to serve two consecutive
six-year terms (up to 12 consecutive years). Currently, members are barred
from serving consecutive terms.
Voter Choices
● A "YES" vote supports making these structural modifications to the
commission's district rules, term lengths, attorney eligibility, and political
party restrictions.
● A "NO" vote opposes these changes, preserving the existing rules and
composition framework governing how judicial nominating commissioners
are selected.
Where to Find More Information
● Review the verbatim legal summary and text via the Oklahoma State
Election Board Ballot Title PDF.
● Dig into the full bill trajectory, historical background, and arguments for and
against on the Ballotpedia page for State Question 845.
Oklahoma State Question 847 is a legislatively referred constitutional
amendment on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot.
What is it?
SQ 847 addresses local property taxes by aiming to slow down how quickly the
state-calculated "fair cash value" of real estate can rise year-over-year. Because
property values are used to determine what you owe in property taxes, capping
value spikes effectively limits tax bill spikes.
Key Shifts
● Lower Caps on Standard Value Increases: Current rules cap the annual
value growth of standard properties at 5%, and homesteads or agricultural
lands at 3%. If approved, SQ 847 drops those caps down to 4% for
standard property and 1.75% for homesteads and agricultural land starting
in tax year 2027.
● Changes to the "Senior Freeze": Currently, Oklahomans aged 65 or older
who meet certain income limits qualify for a total freeze on property value
increases. SQ 847 eliminates the blanket cap on household income to
qualify, but converts the absolute freeze into a tiered system based on
your income compared to the local median area income. Seniors at or
below the median income still get a 0% increase, while those making above
it face gradual value caps up to the 1.75% maximum.
Voter Choices
● A "YES" vote supports lowering the caps on property value growth, which
provides a shield against sudden property tax hikes but could slow local tax
revenues that fund public schools, libraries, and county infrastructure.
● A "NO" vote opposes these changes, keeping the current 3% and 5%
annual growth caps and leaving the traditional senior property tax freeze
intact.
Where to Find More Information
● Review the specific language and income brackets via the Oklahoma State
Election Board Ballot Title PDF.
● Read up on endorsements, public debates, and analytical breakdowns on
the Ballotpedia page for State Question 847.

ELECT Rhonda Eastman for Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Election Campaign website for Vote Rhonda Eastman for Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner 2026.

Meeting open to the public.