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Friday, August 21, 2026 • Rain chance early. Dangerous heat, 100+. ☀️
Poll results:
We received 270 votes on the Wednesday poll, “Could you vote for a candidate who believes women should be under male authority?”
230 said, “Absolutely not.”
18 said, “Yes.”
17 said, “It would depend on other issues.”
5 said, “Unsure.”
New poll question at the bottom of today’s newsletter. (You can also suggest a poll question by emailing me at [email protected].)
Oklahomans head to the polls for first day of early voting in primary runoff
Voters exit their cars and head into the Oklahoma County Election Board Thursday in Oklahoma City to vote in the primary runoff election. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice)
By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
👉 Click to support their newsroom
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahomans braved the scorching heat Thursday and began casting their votes to narrow down which candidates will make it to the general election ballot in November.
Voters throughout Oklahoma, including Darla Gragert in Oklahoma City, turned out for the first of three days of early voting in the statewide election despite temperatures that by midday had already topped over 100 degrees.
Gragert, a retired teacher, said the Republican governor and superintendent runoffs drew her to the polls. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is facing off against financial adviser Mike Mazzei for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Retired educator Robert Franklin is challenging teacher James Taylor.
“I never like messy,” Gragert said. “I like positive, I don’t like negative, I don’t like mudslinging. We have to look past all the ads and look at their record of what they’ve actually done.”
She said because she was a teacher for 27 years, education issues are important to her because she knows the impact it has on society as a whole.
Multiple major partisan offices are on the Aug. 25 runoff election ballot. Republican voters will decide on party nominees for governor, state superintendent, and labor and insurance commissioners. Democrats can vote in a runoff between two candidates for the U.S. Senate.
Lawmakers also placed two nonpartisan state questions on the ballot. One would give lawmakers the power to recalculate the amount paid under a manufacturing tax incentive program while the other would enshrine voter identification in the state Constitution. All voters are eligible to vote on state questions regardless of party affiliation.
While there were no lines at Oklahoma County’s polls, a steady flow of people came in and out of Oklahoma County’s early voting location. Nobody lined up outside, but voters through Election Day on Aug. 25 expected to face temperatures of over 100 degrees.
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The Oklahoma Rundown 📰
Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.
Here’s what’s happening in Oklahoma today:
Fiery crash along Interstate 44 in southwest Oklahoma City kills three, injures officer (KOCO)
'We don't want that here': Anti-data center meeting draws Muskogee neighbors (KJRH)
Google to invest in state water improvements as it builds Oklahoma data centers (Tulsa World)*
PSO CEO addresses rate hike concerns in customer statement (KSWO)
A data center campus would mean millions for an Oklahoma town. One family faces the human cost (KOCO)
Deputy Chief Jonathan Brooks named Tulsa Police Department’s new police chief (Tulsa Flyer)
Tulsa County has a new agreement with ICE that goes beyond the jailhouse to special task forces (Tulsa Flyer)
Venables becomes 10th highest paid college football coach (OU Daily)
Hugo man claiming to be ‘Jesus’ arrested in arson probe (KTEN)
Atoka County crews battle large wildland fire (KXII)
Charges filed against man accused in Lake Hefner attack (Fox 25)
Missing child in Tulsa found dead, authorities say (News On 6)
Police investigating after body reportedly found in El Reno (KFOR)
Oklahoma ends federal food program for schools with expanded hours (Oklahoma Voice)
Tax hikes, Democrat donations and defending Trump: Fact-checking claims made in runoff election ads (Oklahoma Watch)
Superintendent candidate Robert Franklin wants ‘political rancor’ out of Oklahoma education (StateImpact Oklahoma)
‘Safety is paramount’: John Pfeiffer, Kevin West pitch priorities in labor commissioner runoff debate (NonDoc)
Insurance commissioner runoff: Marty Quinn, Bob Sullivan clash on cause of rising rates (NonDoc)
Here’s your guide to accessibility in OKC’s arts institutions (Oklahoma City Free Press)
Pickle Dr Pepper, deep-fried ranch and more: What’s new at the 2026 Oklahoma State Fair (News 9)
What's the best restaurant in Norman? TripAdvisor names these top 10 (The Oklahoman)*
Friday Poll
Does negative campaigning affect your vote?
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