Oklahoma judicial elections
Appellate judges in Oklahoma participate in retention elections, while judges of the district courts compete in nonpartisan elections. Judicial elections only take place in even-numbered years in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma is one of seven states that use nonpartisan elections to initially select judges and then use retention elections to determine whether judges should remain on the bench. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
| Supreme Court | Court of Criminal Appeals | Court of Civil Appeals | District Courts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retention elections - Six-year terms | Retention elections - Six-year terms | Retention elections - Six-year terms | Nonpartisan elections - Four-year terms |
Elections
- Oklahoma Supreme Court elections, 2024
- Oklahoma intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
- Oklahoma Supreme Court elections, 2022
- Oklahoma intermediate appellate court elections, 2022
- Oklahoma Supreme Court elections, 2020
- Oklahoma intermediate appellate court elections, 2020
- Oklahoma Supreme Court elections, 2018
- Oklahoma intermediate appellate court elections, 2018
- Oklahoma local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Oklahoma judicial elections, 2016
- Oklahoma judicial elections, 2014
- Oklahoma judicial elections, 2012
- Oklahoma judicial elections, 2010
Election rules
Primary election
Judges of the district courts run in nonpartisan elections after four-year terms. If more than two candidates file for one seat, they will compete in a primary election. If one candidate receives a majority of the votes in the primary election, that candidate is elected and does not need to run in the general election. If no one receives a majority of the votes, the two candidates with the most votes will compete against each other in the general election.[1]
General election
If two candidates are competing for one district court seat, their names will appear on the ballot for the general election. Unopposed candidates do not appear on the ballot.[2]
Filing deadlines
- Candidates of the district courts must file between the second Wednesday and the following Friday of April on election years.[3]
- Candidates of the appellate courts must file no less than sixty days before the date of the general election.[4]
Fees
- Candidates of the district court pay a filing fee of $200.[5]
- Appellate candidates do not pay a fee for filing a declaration of candidacy.[6]
History
The state's original constitution in 1907 declared the use of partisan elections for judicial candidates. In 1967, two constitutional amendments changed district court elections from partisan to nonpartisan, and supreme court and court of criminal appeals elections from partisan to retention. The court of civil appeals was created in 1968 and used nonpartisan elections until 1987, when it was changed to retention elections.[7]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Statutes Title 26, Chapter A1, Article XI," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Statutes Title 36, Chapter A1, Article VI, Section 6-102," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Statutes Title 26, Chapter A1, Article V, Section 5-110," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Statutes Title 26, Chapter A1, Article XI, Section 11-101," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "2014 Filing Packet," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Oklahoma Statutes Title 26, Chapter A1, Article XI, Section 11-104," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "History of Reform Efforts: Oklahoma," accessed April 23, 2014
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Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Oklahoma, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Oklahoma, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma
State courts:
Oklahoma Supreme Court • Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals • Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals • Oklahoma District Courts • Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims
State resources:
Courts in Oklahoma • Oklahoma judicial elections • Judicial selection in Oklahoma
