OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahomans will vote on a gradual increase in the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour, but not until 2026, angering supporters who question the timing set by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Stitt signed an executive order this week setting the vote for June 2026, the state’s next scheduled general election after November. The governor said in a statement that he waited until then, rather than calling a special statewide election, to save taxpayers the roughly $1.8 million it would cost to hold a separate election.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Oklahoma’s minimum wage is currently $7.25, which is equal to the federal rate. However, 34 states, territories and counties currently have higher wages.
Supporters of the “Yes on State Question 832” campaign turned in nearly 180,000 signatures in less than 90 days in July, nearly double the roughly 92,000 registered voter signatures needed to bring the issue to a vote.
Amber England, a campaign spokesperson, said she doesn’t believe the governor’s argument.
“This was a political maneuver, and if he can tell you that with a straight face, that’s interesting,” she said. “I think the fact that the governor has delayed this for two years is a slap in the face to hardworking Oklahomans who could have seen more money in their paychecks in January if he had set an election date right away.”
The Oklahoma State Election Board did not receive a proclamation from the governor’s office in time to place the issue on the November ballots, said Misha Mohr, a spokeswoman for the agency.
The last petition drive to reach the ballot — a proposal last year to legalize marijuana — was placed on a separate ballot in March 2023 and was defeated. A spokesman for Stitt did not respond to a question about why the governor called a special election on the marijuana issue.
In a red state with a Republican governor and strong GOP majorities in both chambers of the legislature, activists in Oklahoma have turned to the initiative petition process and to voters to pass many progressive ideas into law. These include changes to the state’s criminal justice system, allowing medical marijuana and expanding Medicaid health insurance to low-income residents.
In response, the Legislature passed legislation making it more difficult for state questions to be considered for a vote.
The plan to raise the minimum wage has faced fierce opposition from organizations representing key interests of the governor, including the State Chamber of Oklahoma, which represents businesses and industries in the state, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association.
These groups worry that once the minimum wage reaches $15 an hour in 2029, it will automatically increase annually based on cost-of-living increases, as measured by the U.S. Department of Labor.
“Between now and the election, we will continue to educate Oklahomans about this damaging, job-destroying issue that will ultimately hurt the very people it is intended to help,” said Chad Warmington, president and CEO of The State Chamber.
According to England, Oklahoma has one of the highest percentages of low-wage workers in the country, with about 320,000 workers making less than $15 an hour.
“There are over 100,000 parents in Oklahoma right now who are trying to raise their children and live on less than $15 an hour,” she said. “The impact of this policy is that 320,000 Oklahomans will get a raise.”
