Oklahoma

==Law and government==

{{Main|Government of Oklahoma}}

[[File:Oklahoma State Capitol.jpg|thumb|The [[Oklahoma State Capitol]] in Oklahoma City]]

Oklahoma is a constitutional republic with a government modeled after the [[federal government of the United States]], with executive, legislative, and judicial branches.<ref>{{cite web | year=2006 | publisher=GoveEngine.com | access-date=July 31, 2007 | url=http://www.govengine.com/stategov/oklahoma.html| title=State Government—Oklahoma}}</ref> The state has [[List of counties in Oklahoma|77 counties]] with jurisdiction over most local government functions within each respective domain,<ref name="Topography of Oklahoma" /> [[Oklahoma's congressional districts|five congressional districts]], and a voting base with a majority in the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]].<ref name="Current Registration Statistics by County">{{cite web|url=https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/elections/voter-registration-statistics/2023-vr-statistics/vrstats-county-jan15-2023.pdf|title=Current Registration Statistics by County|date=January 15, 2023|publisher=State of Oklahoma|access-date=March 2, 2023|archive-date=March 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230305071400/https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/elections/voter-registration-statistics/2023-vr-statistics/vrstats-county-jan15-2023.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> State officials are elected by [[plurality voting]] in the state of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma has [[capital punishment in the United States|capital punishment]] as a legal sentence, and the state has had (between 1976 through mid-2011) the highest per capita execution rate in the nation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oklahomawatch.org/2013/02/21/this-news-brief-has-a-featured-image/ |title=The Execution State? |publisher=[[Oklahoma Watch]] |date=February 21, 2013 |access-date=July 10, 2013}}</ref> Authorized methods of execution include the [[Electric chair]], the [[Gas chamber]] and the [[Firing Squad]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/methods-of-execution | title=Methods of Execution }}</ref>

In a 2020 study, Oklahoma was ranked as the 14th most difficult state for citizens to vote in.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=J. Pomante II |first1=Michael |last2=Li |first2=Quan |title=Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020 |journal=Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy |date=15 Dec 2020 |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=503–509 |doi=10.1089/elj.2020.0666 |s2cid=225139517 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The state is also notable for being the only one in the union to enact an [[Red flag law#Oklahoma anti-red flag law|anti-red flag law]], having done so in May 2020. It prohibits the acceptance of any grants or funding to enact red flag laws.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oklahoma SB1081 {{!}} 2020 {{!}} Regular Session |url=https://legiscan.com/OK/bill/SB1081/2020 |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=LegiScan |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-21 |title=Nation's first anti-red flag law now on the books |url=https://www.claremoreprogress.com/news/nation-s-first-anti-red-flag-law-now-on-the-books/article_3eba8328-9b6f-11ea-a178-57cce31dba87.html |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=Claremore Daily Progress |language=en}}</ref>

===State government===

{{See also|Governor of Oklahoma||Oklahoma Legislature|Oklahoma Supreme Court}}

The [[Oklahoma Legislature|Legislature of Oklahoma]] consists of the [[Oklahoma Senate|Senate]] and the [[Oklahoma House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. As the lawmaking branch of the state government, it is responsible for raising and distributing the money necessary to run the government. The Senate has 48 members serving four-year terms, while the House has 101 members with two-year terms. The state has a [[term limit]] for its legislature that restricts any one person to twelve cumulative years service between both legislative branches.<ref name="Oklahoma Government 2" /><ref>{{cite web|publisher=U.S. Term Limits |access-date=August 9, 2007 |url=http://www.ustl.org/leglong.html |title=Legislative Longevity Limits |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070920054851/http://www.ustl.org/leglong.html |archive-date=September 20, 2007 }}</ref>

Oklahoma's judicial branch consists of the [[Oklahoma Supreme Court]], the [[Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals]], and 77 District Courts that each serve one county. The Oklahoma judiciary also contains two independent courts: a Court of [[Impeachment in the United States|Impeachment]] (for [[impeachment trial]]s) and the [[Oklahoma Court on the Judiciary]]. Oklahoma has two courts of last resort: the state Supreme Court hears civil cases, and the state Court of Criminal Appeals hears criminal cases (this split system exists only in Oklahoma and neighboring Texas). Judges of those two courts, as well as the Court of Civil Appeals are appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the state Judicial Nominating Commission, and are subject to a [[non-partisan]] retention vote on a six-year rotating schedule.<ref name="Oklahoma Government 2">{{cite web | date=June 7, 2007 | publisher=Netstate| access-date=August 1, 2007 | url=http://www.netstate.com/states/government/ok_government.htm| title=Oklahoma State Government}}</ref>

The executive branch consists of the [[Governor of Oklahoma|Governor]], their staff, and other elected officials. The principal head of government, the Governor is the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, serving as the [[List of Latin phrases (E)|ex officio]] [[Commander-in-chief]] of the [[Oklahoma National Guard]] when not called into [[Federal government of the United States|Federal]] use and reserving the power to veto bills passed through the Legislature. The responsibilities of the Executive branch include submitting the budget, ensuring state laws are enforced, and ensuring peace within the state is preserved.<ref>{{cite web | date=December 1, 1995 | publisher=Governor's Commission| access-date=August 6, 2007 | url=http://www.oklaosf.state.ok.us/osfdocs/gvcmmsh2.html| title=Report of the Governor's Commission on Government Performance|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070429100905/http://www.oklaosf.state.ok.us/osfdocs/gvcmmsh2.html|archive-date=April 29, 2007 }}</ref>

===Local government===
{{See also|List of counties in Oklahoma}}
The state is divided into 77 [[County (United States)|counties]] that govern locally, each headed by a three-member council of elected commissioners, a tax assessor, clerk, [[court clerk]], treasurer, and [[Sheriffs in the United States|sheriff]].<ref>{{cite web|date=January 6, 2006 |publisher=Government of Oklahoma |access-date=August 1, 2007 |url=http://www.state.ok.us/osfdocs/county.html |title=List of County Officers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070531193042/http://www.state.ok.us/osfdocs/county.html |archive-date=May 31, 2007 }}</ref> While each municipality operates as a separate and independent local government with executive, legislative and judicial power, county governments maintain jurisdiction over both incorporated cities and non-incorporated areas within their boundaries, and have executive power but no legislative or judicial power. Both county and municipal governments collect taxes, employ a separate police force, hold elections, and operate emergency response services within their jurisdiction.<ref name="citygov" /><ref>{{cite news|first=Don |last=Diehl |url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2754&dept_id=573976&newsid=18622071&PAG=461&rfi=9 |date=July 24, 2007 |title=Metro About Jenks population figures ... doubled in size since 2000 census |publisher=Neighbor Newspapers |access-date=August 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015351/http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2754&dept_id=573976&newsid=18622071&PAG=461&rfi=9 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref> Other local government units include [[school district]]s, technology center districts, community college districts, rural fire departments, rural water districts, and other special use districts.

Thirty-nine Native American tribal governments are based in Oklahoma, each holding limited powers within designated areas. While [[Indian reservation]]s are typical in most of the United States, they are not present in Oklahoma, tribal governments hold land granted during the Indian Territory era, but with limited jurisdiction and no control over state governing bodies such as municipalities and counties. Tribal governments are recognized by the United States as quasi-sovereign entities with executive, judicial, and legislative powers over tribal members and functions, but are subject to the authority of the [[United States Congress]] to revoke or withhold certain powers. The tribal governments are required to submit a constitution and any subsequent amendments to the United States Congress for approval.<ref>{{cite news |first=Robert|last=Henry| url=http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=61934| date=March 22, 1989|title= Oklahoma Attorney General's Opinions: Question Submitted by: The Honorable Enoch Kelly Haney, Oklahoma State Senate| publisher=The Oklahoma State Courts Network | access-date=August 21, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Lindsay|last=Robertson|url=http://thorpe.ou.edu/guide/robertson.html|year=2001|title=Native Americans and the Law: Native Americans Under Current United States Law|publisher=[[University of Oklahoma]]|access-date=August 21, 2007|archive-date=April 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416012037/http://thorpe.ou.edu/guide/robertson.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Oklahoma has 11 substate districts including the two large Councils of Governments, INCOG in Tulsa (Indian Nations Council of Governments) and ACOG (Association of Central Oklahoma Governments).

===National politics===
{{further|Political party strength in Oklahoma}}
{{PresHead|place=Oklahoma|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/compare.php?year=2008&fips=40&f=1&off=0&elect=0&type=state|title=Presidential General Election Results Comparison—Oklahoma|publisher=US Election Atlas|access-date=December 29, 2009|author=Leip, David}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|1,020,280|503,890|36,529|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|949,136|420,375|83,481|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|891,325|443,547|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|960,165|502,496|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|959,792|503,966|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|744,337|474,276|15,616|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|582,315|488,105|136,293|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|592,929|473,066|324,364|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|678,367|483,423|9,246|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|861,530|385,080|9,066|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|695,570|402,026|52,112|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|545,708|532,442|14,101|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|759,025|247,147|23,728|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|449,697|301,658|191,731|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|412,665|519,834|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|533,039|370,111|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|473,769|385,581|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|518,045|430,939|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|268,817|452,782|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|319,424|401,549|1,663|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|348,872|474,313|3,027|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|245,122|501,069|3,549|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|188,165|516,468|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|394,046|219,174|5,207|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|226,242|255,798|46,375|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|243,831|217,053|25,726|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|97,233|148,113|47,070|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|90,786|119,156|43,859|Oklahoma}}
{{PresFoot|1908|Democratic|110,474|122,363|22,146|Oklahoma}}
{{Main|Politics of Oklahoma}}

During the first half-century of statehood, Oklahoma was considered a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] stronghold, being carried by the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] in only two presidential elections ([[1920 United States presidential election|1920]] and [[1928 United States presidential election|1928]]). After the [[1948 United States presidential election|1948 election]], the state turned firmly Republican. Although registered Republicans were a minority in the state until 2015,<ref name="voters">{{cite web | url=http://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/VRStatsbycountyjan152015.pdf | title=Registration by Party as of January 15, 2015 | publisher=Oklahoma State Election Board | access-date=February 6, 2015 | archive-date=February 7, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207050926/http://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/VRStatsbycountyjan152015.pdf }}</ref> Oklahoma has been carried by Republican presidential candidates in all but one election since 1952: [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s [[1964 United States presidential election|1964 landslide victory]]. Every single county in the state has been won by the Republican candidate in each election since [[United States presidential election, 2004|2004]]. In fact, it was the only state where [[Barack Obama]] failed to carry any counties in [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]. Oklahoma City was the largest city in the United States carried by Republican Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections.

Democrats are strongest in urban areas, such as the inner parts of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, as well as the [[college town]]s of Norman and Stillwater, and areas which are most heavily [[African American]]. The party once held dominance in the eastern part of the state and [[Little Dixie (Oklahoma)|Little Dixie]] before the area gradually shifted Republican in the late 2000s. As of the 2020 election, Native American voters, 16% of the state's population, are split, with urban populations supporting the Democrats and rural reservation populaces favoring the Republicans.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-11-03|title=Oklahoma Voter Surveys: How Different Groups Voted|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/ap-polls-oklahoma.html|access-date=2020-11-16|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Following the [[United States Census Bureau|2000 census]], the Oklahoma delegation to the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] was reduced from six to five representatives, each serving one [[congressional district]]. Oklahoma has had an all-Republican congressional delegation since 2021, having previously had one from 2013 to 2019.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Voter registration and party enrollment as of February 29, 2024<ref>[https://oklahoma.gov/elections/voter-registration/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-statistics-archive/2024-month-end-voter-registration-statistics.html 2024 Month-End Voter Registration Reports] [[Oklahoma State Election Board]]</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" | Party
! Number of voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 1,197,956
| style="text-align:center;" | 51.82%
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 651,307
| style="text-align:center;" | 28.18%
|-
| {{party color cell|Libertarian Party (United States)}}
| [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 22,050
| style="text-align:center;" | 0.95%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| No affiliation/Other
| style="text-align:center;" | 440,204
| style="text-align:center;" | 19.04%
|-
! colspan="2" | Total
! style="text-align:center;" | 2,311,517
! style="text-align:center;" | 100.00%
|}

===Military===
{{Main|List of military units and installations in Oklahoma|List of battles fought in Oklahoma}}
{{Clear}}