Who Are These People on My Ballot?

Vote on federal laws and the national budget. Confirm or reject the president's picks for the U.S. Supreme Court, federal judgeships, and cabinet jobs. Approve treaties. Hold hearings and investigations. Both senators represent all of Oklahoma, so you share them with roughly four million other people — and both offices run casework staff who help Oklahomans with federal problems.

Vote on federal laws, taxes, and spending. Sit on committees that shape policy like agriculture and defense. Help constituents directly with federal problems — a stuck passport, VA benefits, a Social Security holdup. Your district is about 800,000 people, which makes this the federal office most likely to know your town by name.

Sign or veto bills, including line-item vetoes of the state budget. Appoint the heads of state agencies and fill seats on the courts, the State Board of Education, the Pardon and Parole Board, and university boards of regents. Command the Oklahoma National Guard and declare states of emergency. Grant pardons, paroles, and commutations. Call the Legislature into special session.

Step in as acting Governor when the Governor is out of state, and first in line if the Governor dies, resigns, or is removed. Serve as President of the State Senate, where they can cast a tie-breaking vote. Sit on state boards and commissions, and serve in the Governor's cabinet as Secretary of Tourism and Branding.

Act as the state's lawyer — defend Oklahoma's laws in court and sue on the state's behalf. Run consumer protection, where Oklahomans file complaints about scams, fraud, and price gouging. Prosecute crimes like Medicaid fraud. Issue official legal opinions that state agencies follow.

Hold and invest the state's money and serve as Oklahoma's banker — every dollar the state collects passes through this office. Manage state debt and bond payments. Run the Unclaimed Property program, where Oklahomans reclaim lost or forgotten money, old accounts, and uncashed checks.

Audit the books of state agencies, all 77 counties, school districts, and other public bodies. Investigate suspected misuse of public money — sometimes at the request of citizens by petition. Publish the reports that show whether tax dollars were spent correctly.

Enforce state workplace safety and wage laws. Inspect regulated equipment like boilers and amusement rides. Handle wage-claim disputes when a worker says they weren't paid what they were owed. Enforce child labor rules.

License insurance companies and agents doing business in Oklahoma. Review insurance rates. Investigate complaints and claim disputes — where you turn if you believe an insurer treated you unfairly. Also license and regulate bail bondsmen.

Set the rates regulated utilities like OG&E and PSO can charge you for electricity and natural gas. Regulate oil and gas drilling and well safety. Oversee telephone utilities and underground petroleum storage tanks.

Lead the State Department of Education and sit on the State Board of Education. Distribute state funding among Oklahoma's roughly 500 school districts. Set academic standards and graduation requirements. Oversee teacher certification and statewide testing. This is a statewide office and is separate from your local school board, which you also elect.

Write and pass state laws and the state budget — covering taxes, roads, schools, health care, and public safety. Confirm many of the Governor's appointments, including agency heads and judges. Senators are limited to 12 years in the Legislature, counting House and Senate service together.

Write and pass state laws and the budget alongside the Senate. All tax and revenue bills must start in the House. Represent a smaller district, which makes them often the most reachable state official.

Maintain county roads and bridges — the rural and two-lane roads outside city limits. Set the county budget. Manage county equipment, buildings, and employees. Handle drainage and local infrastructure.

Determine the taxable value of every home, business, and piece of land in the county — the number your property tax bill is based on. Process homestead exemptions. Keep property maps and ownership records.

Collect property taxes and send that money out to schools, the county, cities, and other local entities. Handle delinquent taxes and tax sales. Manage the county's accounts.

Run the county jail. Provide law enforcement and patrol outside city limits. Serve warrants and court papers. Provide courthouse security and carry out court-ordered evictions and property sales.

Keep the county's official records — property deeds, mortgages, and liens. Handle county purchasing and payroll paperwork. Serve as secretary to the county commissioners.

Maintain all court case records and files, and make them available to the public. Collect court fines, fees, and costs. Issue marriage licenses and accept passport applications. Manage jury summonses and paperwork.

Hire and evaluate the superintendent. Approve the district budget and how bond money gets spent. Set district policy on everything from calendars and start times to discipline and cell phones. Vote on school closures, boundary changes, and building projects. Candidates don't run as Republican or Democrat.

Lead city government — though how much power that carries depends entirely on where you live. Some Oklahoma cities give the mayor real day-to-day authority over departments and budgets. Others give the mayor a ceremonial role and a seat on the council, with a hired city manager running operations. Some cities elect the mayor directly; in others the council picks one of its own members.

Pass city ordinances and approve the city budget. Vote on zoning and what gets built where. Set utility rates for city water and trash. Fund the police and fire departments. In some towns the council also chooses the mayor from among its own members. Smaller communities may call these seats trustees or commissioners instead.

Decide which criminal charges to file, which to reduce, and which to drop — then prosecute them in court. Negotiate plea agreements, which resolve most cases before trial. Run diversion programs like drug court and mental health court. Handle juvenile cases and child-support enforcement. Serve as legal advisor to county officials.

Preside over the trials and hearings that touch everyday life — divorces and custody, evictions, lawsuits, criminal cases, probate, and protective orders. Set bail, rule on evidence, and issue sentences. Candidates don't run as Republican or Democrat.

Oklahoma's appellate judges aren't elected against opponents. They're appointed by the Governor from a list, then periodically put before voters with one question: should this judge stay on the bench? You vote yes or no. This covers the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which handles civil appeals, the Court of Criminal Appeals, which handles criminal appeals, and the Court of Civil Appeals. These judges review decisions from lower courts and decide whether the law was applied correctly.