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The first sign of the fight will come in April.
The parking lots surrounding the State Capitol will be filled with vehicles and people. Beginning April 1, the filing period for elected public offices opens. This means that candidates for state, judicial, federal, and district attorney offices will file their paperwork to run for their seat on April 1-3.
Keep in mind, too, that all statewide elective offices are up for grabs. This means all 101 seats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and 25 of the Oklahoma Senate seats. In addition, Oklahoma voters fill a new face in the junior U.S. Senate office, along with all five U.S. House seats.
Right now, Republicans in Red Dirt, Oklahoma, have the numbers.
They also have an active voting base. Democrats, however, are leveraging the 2026 mid-term election cycle.
They have already seen positive results across the country.
Democrats believe momentum from a blue wave movement could help them pick up seats—even in Oklahoma.
Time will tell.
Whether you are a Conservative Republican voter or a Yellow Dog Democrat, you should begin now.
Start examining the issues that matter to you. Think about how you would address these issues and make notes.
Look at the candidates running for House and Senate seats in your districts. At the same time, consider your concerns at the national level.
All these issues will come into play well before November. Now is the time to make sure your voter registration is up to date. Know exactly where to cast your ballot and when polling places are open.
Vote. Make your voice count this November.
Standing in the voting booth and making your voice heard is a vital part of this country’s foundation. We pick representatives to run our government and monitor them to ensure they behave properly.
Here at this newspaper, we take voting seriously, too. As members of the Fourth Estate, we hold the government and those who run it accountable. Yes, we ask questions.
Yes, we request documents. We want to know why a policy was made, who wrote it, and who will enforce it.
Our Founding Fathers realized that democracy was the only way for our government to function. At the same time, they embraced the free press to evaluate the government and hold those involved accountable.
It’s worked pretty well for close to 250 years.
The goal is to keep the system running for another 250 years.
M. Scott Carter is an award-winning political and investigative reporter with more than 45 years of experience covering federal and state government and politics in Oklahoma. He can be reached at scott.carter@swoknews.com