2010 Oklahoma elections

2010 Oklahoma elections

← 2008 2012 →

Elections in Oklahoma
Federal government Presidential elections 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Senate elections 1907 1909 1913 1914 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1936 1938 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1964 sp 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1994 sp 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2014 sp 2016 2020 2022 2022 sp 2026 2028 House of Representatives elections 1907 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1919 5th sp 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1937 5th sp 1938 1940 1941 7th sp 1942 1944 2nd sp 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1st sp 6th sp 1996 1998 2000 2002 1st sp 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government State elections 1907 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1907 1910 1914 1918 1922 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Attorney General elections 2022 Treasurer elections 2022 Senate elections 2006 2020 2022 2024 House of Representatives elections 2020 2022 2024
Ballot measures 2004 Question 711 2016 Question 777 2018 Question 788 2020 Question 802 2023 Question 820
Norman Mayoral elections 2022
Oklahoma City Mayoral elections 1911 2014 2018 2022
Tulsa Municipal elections 2022 2024 Mayoral elections 2002 2006 2009 2013 2016 2020 2024
Government
v t e

The 2010 Oklahoma elections were held on November 2, 2010. The primary election was held on July 27. The runoff primary election was held August 24.^[1]

The Republican Party swept every statewide election and expanded its majorities in both state legislative chambers. An extremely socially conservative state, Oklahoma has not voted Democratic in a presidential election since 1964 but remained reliably Democratic at the state level well into the 2000s. This election marked a new and decisive alignment in the state's partisanship at all levels of government, with the GOP continuing to make gains in almost every election since.

NOTES:

• Bob Anthony and Jeff Cloud were not on the 2010 ballot due to the staggered election terms of the Corporation Commission.
• With Todd Lamb's election to lieutenant governor, one Oklahoma Senate seat remains vacant, to be filled in a January 2011 special election.

2010 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

← 2006 November 2, 2010 2014 →

Nominee Mary Fallin Jari Askins Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 625,506 409,261 Percentage 60.4% 39.6%

County results Fallin:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Askins:      50–60%

Governor before election Brad Henry Democratic Elected Governor Mary Fallin Republican

The 2010 gubernatorial election determined the successor of incumbent Democratic governor Brad Henry, who, due to term limits placed on him by the Oklahoma Constitution, could not seek re-election.

Democrats

• Jari Askins - current lieutenant governor of Oklahoma
• Drew Edmondson - current attorney general of Oklahoma

Republicans

• Roger L. Jackson - retired businessman, former president of the Oklahoma Office Machine Dealers Association (OOMDA)
• Mary Fallin - former lieutenant governor and current congresswoman for Oklahoma's 5th Congressional
• Randy Brogdon - current state senator
• Robert Hubbard - business owner of Piedmont, Oklahoma's "Hubbard Ranch Supply"

2010 Oklahoma lieutenant gubernatorial election

← 2006 November 2, 2010 2014 →

Nominee Todd Lamb Kenneth Corn Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 659,242 334,711 Percentage 64.0% 32.5%

County results Lamb:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Corn:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Lieutenant governor before election Jari Askins Democratic Elected Lieutenant governor Todd Lamb Republican

The 2010 lieutenant governor election determined the successor of incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Jari Askins, who stepped down to run for governor.

Democrats

• Kenneth Corn - current state senator

Republicans

• Bernie Adler - Oklahoma City real estate investor
• Todd Lamb - current state senator
• John A. Wright - current state representative
• Bill Crozier - former Republican candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Paul F. Nosak - Oklahoma City resident

Independent

• Richard Prawdzienski - Edmond resident

Corn ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Republican

2010 Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector election

← 2006 November 2, 2010 2014 →

Nominee Gary Jones Steve Burrage Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 570,174 449,152 Percentage 55.9% 44.1%

County results Jones:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Burrage:      50–60%      60–70%

State Auditor and Inspector before election Steve Burrage Democratic Elected State Auditor and Inspector Gary Jones Republican

The 2010 state auditor and inspector election was the first election for the office of state auditor and inspector since former Democratic state auditor Jeff McMahan was forced to resign in 2008 due to corruption charges.

Governor Brad Henry appointed fellow Democrat Steve Burrage to serve out the remainder of McMahan's unexpired term. Burrage then sought a full term in office but lost to Gary Jones, who was making his third run for the office. Despite losing by 11.8%, Burrage had the second best performance of any statewide Democrat and was only one of two to get over 40% of the vote (the other being Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland).

Article 6, Section 19 of the Oklahoma Constitution places one additional requirement upon the State Auditor and Inspector beyond the other constitutional requirements for those seeking statewide offices. The auditor must have at least 3 years of prior experience as an "expert accountant" before seeking office. (The term "expert accountant" is not defined but is generally understood to require that the officeholder must be a certified public accountant.)

Democrats

• Steve Burrage - incumbent State Auditor

Republican

• David Hanigar - Pocasset certified public accountant and United States Navy submariner during Vietnam War
• Gary Jones - Lawton certified public accountant, former Comanche County commissioner and current chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party

Burrage ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Republican

2010 Oklahoma Attorney General election

← 2006 November 2, 2010 2014 →

Nominee Scott Pruitt Jim Priest Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 666,407 357,162 Percentage 65.1% 34.9%

County results Pruitt:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Priest:      50–60%

Attorney General before election Drew Edmondson Democratic Elected Attorney General Scott Pruitt Republican

The 2010 attorney general election determined the successor of incumbent Democratic attorney general Drew Edmondson, who stepped down to run for governor but lost in the Democratic Party primary.

Democrats

• Jim Priest - Oklahoma City defense attorney

Republicans

• Ryan Leonard - former state prosecutor in Canadian County and former senior aide to former U.S. senator Don Nickles
• Scott Pruitt - former state senator from Tulsa

Priest ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Republican

2010 Oklahoma state treasurer election

← 2006 November 2, 2010 2014 →

Nominee Ken A. Miller Stephen Covert Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 675,515 339,272 Percentage 66.6% 33.4%

Miller:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

State Treasurer before election Scott Meacham Democratic Elected State Treasurer Ken A. Miller Republican

The 2010 State Treasurer election determined the successor of incumbent Democratic State Treasurer Scott Meacham, who declined to seek a second full term in office.

Democrats

• Stephen E. Covert - Midwest City resident

Republicans

• Owen Laughlin - lawyer and businessman from Woodward, former state senator
• Ken Miller - current state representative, current chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee and economics professor at Oklahoma Christian University

Covert ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Republican

2010 Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction election

← 2006 2014 →

Nominee Janet Barresi Susan Paddack Richard Cooper Party Republican Democratic Independent Popular vote 573,716 387,007 65,243 Percentage 55.9% 37.7% 6.4%

County results Barresi:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Paddack:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Superintendent of Public Instruction before election Sandy Garrett Democratic Elected Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi Republican

The 2010 Superintendent of Public Instruction election determined the successor of incumbent Democratic Superintendent Sandy Garrett, who declined to seek a sixth full term in office.

Democrats

• Jerry Combrink - former Boswell Public Schools superintendent
• Susan Paddack - current state senator from Ada

Republican

• Janet Barresi - charter school founder, dentist, and school speech pathologist from Edmond
• Brian S. Kelly - educator from Edmond

Independents

• Richard E. Cooper - former educator

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011)

Republican

2010 Oklahoma Commissioner of Labor election

← 2006 November 2, 2010 2014 →

Nominee Mark Costello Lloyd Fields Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 649,748 362,805 Percentage 64.2% 35.8%

County results Costello:      50–60%      60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Fields:      50–60%

Commissioner of Labor before election Lloyd Fields Democratic Elected Commissioner of Labor Mark Costello Republican

Incumbent Democratic Labor Commissioner Lloyd Fields was defeated in an attempt to win a second full term in office.

Democrats

• Lloyd Fields - incumbent Labor Commissioner

Republican

• Mark Costello - businessman from Edmond
• Jason Reese - labor attorney from Oklahoma City

Fields ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Republican

2010 Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner election

← 2006 2014 →

Nominee John D. Doak Kim Holland Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 555,740 464,310 Percentage 54.5% 45.5%

County results Doak:      50–60%      60–70%     80–90% Holland:      50–60%      Tie

Insurance Commissioner before election Kim Holland Democratic Elected Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak Republican

Incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland was defeated in an attempt to win a second full term in office.

Democrats

• Kim Holland - incumbent Insurance Commissioner

Republicans

• John Doak - insurance agent from Tulsa
• Mark Croucher - insurance agent from Jenks
• John P. Crawford - former Insurance Commissioner (1995–1999)

Incumbent Holland ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

The 2010 Corporation Commissioner election was for the seat currently held by incumbent Republican commissioner Dana Murphy, who won her primary election. As the Democratic Party did not field a candidate, and no independent candidate sought office, Murphy was thus elected as commissioner.

Democrats

• none

Republicans

• Dana Murphy - incumbent Corporation Commissioner
• Tod Yeager - Del City resident

Republican

Murphy did not have a Democratic or independent opponent; thus, she was elected unopposed.

The 2010 US senatorial election gave incumbent Republican senator Tom Coburn a second full term in office.

^[3]

All five Oklahoma seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2010. However, incumbent Tom Cole in District 4 had no opposition in the general election.

^[3]

24 of the 48 seats in the Oklahoma Senate were up for election in 2010.

^[3]

All 101 seats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives were up for election in 2010.

^[3]

These races were "retention" votes based on Oklahoma's use of the Missouri Plan for electing judicial nominees.

Steven W. Taylor

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	575,570	64.88
No	311,608	35.12
Total votes	887,178	100.00

^[3]

James R. Winchester

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	571,893	65.02
No	307,615	34.98
Total votes	879,508	100.00

^[3]

Deborah B. Barnes

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	565,390	64.11
No	316,542	35.89
Total votes	881,932	100.00

^[3]

Doug Gabbard II

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	539,326	61.60
No	336,136	38.40
Total votes	875,462	100.00

^[3]

John F. Fischer

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	549,756	62.74
No	326,506	37.26
Total votes	876,262	100.00

^[3]

Larry E. Joplin

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	548,247	62.46
No	329,520	37.54
Total votes	877,767	100.00

^[3]

State Question 744 would have amended the Oklahoma Constitution by adding a new article: Article 13-C - Amount of money the State provides to support common schools.

The proposed Constitutional amendment would have mandated that the Oklahoma Legislature spend no less than the average amount spent by "neighboring states" (those states which border Oklahoma: Missouri, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Colorado and New Mexico) on "common education" (defined as grades pre-kindergarten through high school) on an annual, per-student basis. If the surrounding-state average ever declined, the legislature would be required to spend the same amount as it did the year before. The measure required that increased spending begin in the first fiscal year after its passage and that the surrounding-state average be met in the third fiscal year after passage.

The proposed amendment did not provide a funding source for the new spending requirements and was therefore overwhelmingly defeated.

State Question 744

Choice	Votes	%
No	828,589	81.41
Yes	189,164	18.59
Total votes	1,017,753	100.00

^[3]

State Question 746 would amend various State laws relating to voting requirements. It requires that each person appearing to vote present a document proving their identity. The document must meet the following requirements:

• It must have the name and photograph of the voter.
• It must have been issued by the federal, state or tribal government.
• It must have an expiration date that is after the date of the election.

No expiration date would be required on certain identity cards issued to person 65 years of age or older. In lieu of such a document, voters could present voter identification cards issued by the County Election Board. A person who cannot or does not present the required identification may sign a sworn statement and cast a provisional ballot. Swearing to a false statement would be a felony.

If approved, the measure would become effective July 1, 2011.

State Question 746

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	746,053	74.34
No	257,523	25.66
Total votes	1,003,576	100.00

^[3]

State Question 747 would amend the Oklahoma Constitution by placing term limits on all Statewide elected officials. All officials would be allowed to serve no more two terms in office. Terms served need not be consecutive for the limits to apply.

State Question 747

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	695,592	69.88
No	299,789	30.12
Total votes	995,381	100.00

^[3]

State Question 748 would amend the Oklahoma Constitution by amending Article 5, Sections 11A and 11B. The measure would change how the districts of the Oklahoma Legislature are apportioned.

Currently, the Apportionment Commission is responsible for setting district boundaries every ten years if the legislature itself fails to do so. The Apportionment Commission, as currently established, is composed of the attorney general, the state treasurer and the state superintendent of public instruction. The measure would change the commission's name to the Bipartisan Commission on Legislative Apportionment and would increase the number of members from three to seven. The president pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate would appoint one Democrat and one Republican, the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives would appoint one Democrat and one Republican, and the governor of Oklahoma would appoint one Democrat and one Republican.

The lieutenant governor of Oklahoma would chair the commission and would be a nonvoting member. It requires orders of apportionment to be signed by at least four members of the commission.

State Question 748

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	567,288	58.42
No	403,733	41.58
Total votes	971,021	100.00

^[3]

This measure would amend the Oklahoma Constitution by altering the initiative petitions and with referendum petitions process by changing the number of signatures required for such petitions.

The following voter signature requirements would apply:

• 8% must sign to propose law
• 15% must sign to propose to change the State Constitution.
• 5% must sign to order a referendum.

These percentages are based upon the State office receiving the most total votes at the last general election when the governor is on the ballot. The measure's basis does not use general elections with the president on the ballot. More votes are usually cast at presidential general elections. Thus, the measure would generally have a lowering effect on the number of required signatures.

State Question 750

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	485,703	50.40
No	478,042	49.60
Total votes	963,745	100.00

^[3]

This measure would amend the Oklahoma Constitution by adding a new Article to the Constitution. That Article would deal with the State's official actions. It dictates the language to be used in taking official State actions must be the English language. However, it allows for Native American languages could also be used and, when Federal law so requires, other languages could also be used.

The term "official actions" is not defined. The Oklahoma Legislature could pass laws determining the application of the language requirements. No lawsuit based on State law could be brought on the basis of a State agency's failure to use a language other than English nor could such a lawsuit be brought against political subdivisions of the State.

State Question 751

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	740,918	75.54
No	239,904	24.46
Total votes	980,822	100.00

^[3]

This measure would amend Section 3 of Article 7-B of the Oklahoma Constitution. The amendment adds two at-large members to the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission. At-large members can come from any Oklahoma congressional district. The President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate would appoint one of the new at-large members and the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives would appoint the other. At-large members cannot be lawyers, can not have a lawyer in their immediate family. Nor can more than two at-large members be from the same political party. This would raise the total membership on the commission from 13 to 15.

State Question 752

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	606,805	62.83
No	358,925	37.17
Total votes	965,730	100.00

^[3]

This measure would have added a new section, Section 55A of Article 5, to the Oklahoma Constitution. Under the measure, the Constitution could not have required the Oklahoma Legislature to fund state functions based on:

• 1. Predetermined constitutional formulas,
• 2. How much other states spend on a function,
• 3. How much any entity spends on a function.

Under the measure, these limits on the Constitution's power to control appropriations would have applied even if:

• 1. A later constitutional amendment changed the Constitution, or
• 2. A constitutional amendment to the contrary was passed at the same time as this measure.

The Question was in direct opposition toward State Question 744 which also appeared on the ballot.

State Question 754

Choice	Votes	%
No	614,219	62.92
Yes	361,907	37.08
Total votes	976,126	100.00

^[3]

This measure amended the Constitution of Oklahoma. It requires courts to rely solely on federal and state law when deciding cases. It forbids courts from considering or using international law or using Sharia.^[4]

The results of State Question 755 have not been officially certified by the Oklahoma Election Board due to an injunction filed in Federal Court by the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAIR is challenging its constitutionality under the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the Constitution of the United States.^[5] A Federal District Court in Oklahoma City temporarily blocked certification of the election results, calling the measure an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment because the measure conveys a message that the state favors one religion or particular belief.^[6] The state election board appealed the ruling to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals,^[7] but that court unanimously upheld the ruling blocking the amendment:

The US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit on January 10, 2012 unanimously upheld^[8] a ruling blocking the implementation of an Oklahoma constitutional amendment^[9] that would have prohibited state courts from considering Islamic and international law in deciding cases. Approved by approximately 70 percent^[10] of Oklahoma voters, but challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR), State Question 755, also called the “Save Our State Amendment,” was classified by the court as singling out Islam for unfavorable treatment in state courts. The court ruled that the provision likes [sic] violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.^[11]

State Question 755

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	695,650	70.08
No	296,944	29.92
Total votes	992,594	100.00

^[3]

This measure adds a new section, Section 37 to Article 2, of Oklahoma Constitution. It defines "health care system." It prohibits making a person participate in a health care system, prohibits making an employer participate in a health care system, and prohibits making a health care provider provide treatment in a health care system. It would allow persons and employees to pay for treatment directly, it would allow health care provider to accept payment for treatment directly, it would allow the purchase of health care insurance in private health care systems and it would allow the sale of health insurance in private health care systems.

The Question was proposed as an opposition toward the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

State Question 756

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	638,530	64.73
No	347,956	35.27
Total votes	986,486	100.00

^[3]

This measure amends Section 23 of Article 10 of the Oklahoma Constitution. It would increase the amount of surplus revenue which goes into the Constitutional Reserve Fund. The amount would go from 10% to 15% of the funds certified as going to the General Revenue fund for the preceding fiscal year.

State Question 757

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	499,287	51.02
No	479,353	48.98
Total votes	978,640	100.00

^[3]

• Government of Oklahoma
• Oklahoma House of Representatives
• Oklahoma Senate
• Politics of Oklahoma
• Oklahoma Congressional Districts

• Oklahoma Election Board homepage