State Question 836 Disqualified for Ballot
- TCGOP Media
- Mar 5
- 1 min read
Quick recap of SQ 836
It aimed to replace Oklahoma's closed partisan primaries (where only voters registered with a party can vote in that party's primary) with a top-two "jungle" primary system.
All candidates (regardless of party) would appear on one primary ballot.
Any registered voter could participate.
The top two vote-getters (even if from the same party) would advance to the general election.
Supporters argued it would give independents (nearly 500,000 in OK) more say and reduce extremism by forcing candidates to appeal to a broader electorate.
Opponents said it could lead to "California-style" elections, weaken party control, potentially eliminate viable conservative choices in deep-red districts, and undermine party associational rights. Read more here
What went down with signatures
The campaign (Vote Yes 836) needed 172,993 valid signatures from registered voters to qualify for the November 2026 ballot.
They turned in over 200,000 raw signatures in late January 2026
The Secretary of State's office then verified the signatures (checking for duplicates, invalid registrations, improper formatting, etc.).
Final certified count: Only 142,567 valid signatures — falling short by about 30,000+.
Because it didn't hit the threshold, the measure was officially deemed non-qualifying and won't appear on the 2026 ballot (as confirmed by sources like Ballotpedia, which lists its status as "Not on the ballot").
Why this is a win for Oklahomans
It preserves the current system where parties control their own nomination processes and primary elections.
No risk of same-party runoffs in generals or independents "crossing over" in ways that could shift outcomes.
Avoids a major structural change that many saw as risky or unnecessary.
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