Oklahoma State Question 798, Governor and Lieutenant Governor Joint Ticket Amendment (2018)

Elections in Oklahoma, 2018

* General election: Nov. 6
* Voter registration deadline: Oct. 12
* Early voting: Nov. 1 - Nov. 3
* Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

* Online registration: No
* Same-day registration: No
* Voter ID: Non-photo ID required
* Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

* * *

On the ballot: U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Special state legislative • Supreme court • Appellate courts • Local judges • State ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • Democratic primaries • Republican primaries

Oklahoma State Question 798

Election date
November 6, 2018
Topic
Elections and campaigns
Status
d Defeated
Type
Constitutional amendment| Origin
State legislature

* * *

List of Oklahoma measuresOklahoma State Question 788 - JuneOklahoma State Question 793Oklahoma State Question 794Oklahoma State Question 798Oklahoma State Question 800Oklahoma State Question 801Submit

* * *

The Oklahoma Governor and Lieutenant Governor Joint Ticket Amendment, State Question 798, was on the ballot in Oklahoma as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 6, 2018. The measure was defeated.

|  A "yes" vote supported this measure to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to provide for the governor and lieutenant governor to be elected together on one ticket starting in 2026.

|

|  A "no" vote opposed this measure to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to provide for joint governor and lieutenant governor tickets, thereby leaving the governor and lieutenant governor to each be elected separately with separate campaigns.

|

## Contents

* 1 Election results
* 2 Overview
* 2.1 Measure design
* 2.2 How were lieutenant governors elected in other states?
* 2.3 As of 2018, what did the lieutenant governor do?
* 3 Text of measure
* 3.1 Ballot title
* 3.2 Constitutional changes
* 3.3 Readability score
* 4 Support
* 4.1 Arguments
* 5 Opposition
* 6 Media editorials
* 6.1 Support
* 6.2 Opposition
* 7 Campaign finance
* 7.1 Support
* 8 Polls
* 9 Background
* 9.1 Lieutenant governors in the United States
* 9.1.1 Selection process for lieutenant governors
* 9.2 House Joint Resolution 1019
* 9.3 Referred amendments on the ballot
* 10 Path to the ballot
* 11 How to cast a vote
* 11.1 Poll times
* 11.2 Registration requirements
* 11.3 Automatic registration
* 11.4 Online registration
* 11.5 Same-day registration
* 11.6 Residency requirements
* 11.7 Verification of citizenship
* 11.8 Verifying your registration
* 11.9 Voter ID requirements
* 11.9.1 Background
* 12 See also
* 13 External links
* 14 Footnotes

## Election results[edit]

Oklahoma State Question 798

Result | Votes | Percentage
Yes | 528,614 | 45.91%

| 622,863 | 54.09%

Results are officially certified.
Source

## Overview[edit]

### Measure design[edit]

State Question 798 would have amended the state constitution to provide for the governor and lieutenant governor to be elected together on one ticket starting in 2026.[1] As of 2018, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected on separate ballots. Requiring the governor and lieutenant governor to run on the same ticket would have prevented them from being from different parties.[2][3]

### How were lieutenant governors elected in other states?[edit]

In 26 states, the lieutenant governor was selected on a ticket with the governor as of 2018, meaning that lieutenant gubernatorial candidates served as running mates to gubernatorial candidates, with the winning gubernatorial candidate's running mate becoming lieutenant governor. In 18 of those 26 states, candidates for governor picked their own running mates in a similar fashion to presidential candidates. In 8 of those 26 states, there were separate primaries for governor and lieutenant governor, with the winning candidate in each primary appearing on the general election ticket. In 17 states, the lieutenant governor was elected separately from the governor.

### As of 2018, what did the lieutenant governor do?[edit]

As of 2018, the lieutenant governor was the first in line to become the new Governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resignation or removal of the governor. The lieutenant governor also served as the president of the Oklahoma State Senate, presiding over joint sessions of the state Legislature, and may cast the tie-breaking votes in the Senate. The lieutenant governor presided over, appoints a designee, or was a member of 10 state boards and commissions. The lieutenant governor had such other responsibilities and duties as the governor assigned.[4]

## Text of measure[edit]

### Ballot title[edit]

The ballot title for this amendment is below:[1]

“  |

This measure will add a provision to the Oklahoma Constitution to change the manner in which the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected. Currently, voters cast one vote for their preferred candidate for Governor and a separate vote for their preferred candidate for Lieutenant Governor. Under this measure, if approved, candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor for the same party will run together on a single ticket and voters will cast one vote for their preferred ticket.

The measure requires the Legislature to establish procedures for the joint nomination and election of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. If passed, this new election format will be used beginning in the 2026 general election cycle.

SHALL THE PROPOSAL BE APPROVED?

FOR THE PROPOSAL – YES

AGAINST THE PROPOSAL – NO[5]

|  ”

|
|

### Constitutional changes[edit]

See also: Article VI, Oklahoma Constitution

State Question 798 would have added a new subsection to section 3 of Article VI of the state constitution. The following underlined section of text would have been added:[1]

Section 3.1. Beginning with the General Election held in 2026 and in each General Election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor held thereafter, one vote shall be cast for the candidates for those positions of the same political party. The Legislature, by law, shall provide the procedure for the joint nomination and election of candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor.[5]

### Readability score[edit]

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2018
Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state legislature wrote the ballot language for this measure.

The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 14, and the FRE is 32. The word count for the ballot title is 113, and the estimated reading time is 30 seconds.

In 2018, for the 167 statewide measures on the ballot, the average ballot title or question was written at a level appropriate for those with between 19 and 20 years of U.S. formal education (graduate school-level of education), according to the FKGL formula. Read Ballotpedia's entire 2018 ballot language readability report here.

## Support[edit]

Rep. Mark Lepak (R) and Sen. Adam Pugh (R) sponsored this amendment.[3]

### Arguments[edit]

Vice President for Political Affairs at the State Chamber of Oklahoma, Cordon DeKock, said, “Partnering the Governor and Lieutenant Governor is a common-sense move that will ensure we have a leadership team with a unified vision. Aligning these positions will allow our officials to coordinate to provide more robust oversight of executive agencies and to accomplish other goals for the state.”[6]

## Opposition[edit]

Ballotpedia did not identify committees, organizations, or individuals opposing the ballot initiative.

## Media editorials[edit]

See also: 2018 ballot measure media endorsements

### Support[edit]

* Tulsa World said: "We endorse State Question 798, which would provide for the governor and lieutenant governor to run on a single ticket starting in 2026. Oklahoma’s current system of independently electing lieutenant governors hasn’t produced a stellar list of leaders; but it has, at times, produced needless and counterproductive friction between the state’s two top executives. A single, unified leadership seems reasonable."[7]
* The Enid News & Eagle said: "We realize merging two tickets eliminates an option for voters, but we believe 798 would help more than it could hurt. This concept works at the federal level. The practical measure requires the Legislature to establish procedures for the joint nomination and election by the 2026 election cycle, so we figure lawmakers should have plenty of time to iron that out."[8]

### Opposition[edit]

Ballotpedia did not identify any media editorials opposing State Question 798.

## Campaign finance[edit]

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Oklahoma ballot measures

Total campaign contributions:

Support: |  $100.00
Opposition: |  $0.00

One committee, SQ 798 for Accountable Leadership, was registered in support of State Question 798. The support committee had reported $100 in contributions, contributed by the State Chamber of Oklahoma, and $25,078 in expenditures. Ballotpedia did not identify any committees registered in opposition to State Question 798.[9]

### Support[edit]

| Committees in support of Oklahoma State Question 798

Supporting committees| Cash contributions| In-kind services| Cash expenditures
SQ 798 for Accountable Leadership| $100.00| $0.00| $25,077.90
Total| $100.00| $0.00| $25,077.90
| Totals in support

Total raised:| $100.00
Total spent:| $25,077.90

## Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

In a January 2018 SoonerPoll poll commissioned by the State Chamber of Oklahoma, voters were asked the following question:[6]

“  |

Would you SUPPORT or OPPOSE making candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run together on the ballot like president and vice president rather than running separately?[5]

|  ”

|
|

Oklahoma Governor and Lieutenant Governor Joint Ticket

Poll | Strongly support | Somewhat support| COMBINED SUPPORT| No opinion/Refused| Somewhat oppose| Strongly oppose| COMBINED OPPOSE| Margin of error| Sample size
SoonerPoll
1/4/18 - 1/9/18 | 36.7%| 21.4%| 58.1%| 17.5%| 13.0%| 11.4%| 24.4%| +/-4.84| 409
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

## Background[edit]

### Lieutenant governors in the United States[edit]

See also: Lieutenant Governor (state executive office)

#### Selection process for lieutenant governors[edit]

In 26 states, the lieutenant governor is selected on a ticket with the governor, meaning that lieutenant gubernatorial candidates serve as running mates to gubernatorial candidates, with the winning gubernatorial candidate's running mate becoming lieutenant governor. In eight of these states, there are separate primaries for governor and lieutenant governor, with the winning candidate in each primary appearing on the general election ticket. In the remaining 18 states, gubernatorial candidates may pick their own running mates in a similar fashion to presidential candidates. In 17 states, the lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor. In Tennessee and West Virginia, the title of lieutenant governor is given to the president of the state Senate.[10]

* Lt. gov. nominated in separate primary and elected in separate general election (17): Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington
* Lt. gov. nominated in separate primary but runs on a single ticket with gubernatorial nominee in general election (8): Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
* Lt. gov. chosen by gubernatorial candidate before primary and runs on a single ticket with gubernatorial candidate in both the primary and general election (8): Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah
* Lt. gov. chosen by gubernatorial nominee after primary and runs on a single ticket with gubernatorial nominee in the general election (10): Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Carolina, South Dakota
* Lt. gov. is a member of the legislature (2): Tennessee, West Virginia
* Lt. gov. office does not exist in state (5): Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Wyoming

### House Joint Resolution 1019[edit]

The Oklahoma State House defeated House Joint Resolution 1019 (HJR 1019) in 2015 which would have called for the governor and lieutenant governor to be elected jointly rather than separately. HJR 1019 was sponsored by Rep. Gary Banz (R-101) and Sen. Ron Justice (R-23). The measure failed in the House on March 4, 2015, with a vote 46-44. It would have needed a vote of 51 to pass. After a motion to reconsider, the measure passed in the House on March 9, 2015, in a vote of 52-44 but failed in the Senate on March 21, 2015, in a vote of 15-31.[11][12]

### Referred amendments on the ballot[edit]

From 1996 through 2016, the Oklahoma State Legislature referred 63 constitutional amendments to the ballot. Voters approved 52 and rejected 11 of the referred amendments. All but one of the amendments were referred to the ballot for elections during even-numbered election years. The average number of amendments appearing on even-year ballots was between five and six. The approval rate of referred amendments at the ballot box was 82.5 percent during the 20-year period from 1996 through 2016. The rejection rate was 17.5 percent. The following table contains data for referred amendments during even-numbered election years from 1996 through 2016:

Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments, 1996-2016

Total number |  Approved |  Percent approved |  Defeated |  Percent defeated |  Annual average |  Annual median |  Annual minimum |  Annual maximum
62  |  51  |  82.26%  |  11  |  17.74%  |  5.64  |  6.00  |  3  |  9

## Path to the ballot[edit]

See also: Amending the Oklahoma Constitution

To put a legislatively referred constitutional amendment before voters, a simple majority is required in both the Oklahoma State Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

State Question 798 was introduced by Sen. Adam Pugh (R) and Rep. Mark Lepak (R) as Senate Joint Resolution 66. It was approved by the state Senate on March 13, 2018, in a vote of 29-12, with seven excused. Four Republicans joined all eight Democrats in opposing the amendment in the Senate. On April 23, 2018, the state House approved the measure with amendments in a vote of 69 to 22 with 10 excused and one vacancy. On April 25, the state Senate concurred with the House amendments and approved the measure in a vote of 34 to 9 with 4 excused and one vacancy, certifying the measure for the ballot.[3]

| Vote in the Oklahoma State Senate
April 25, 2018

Requirement: Simple majority vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 24 a
| Yes| No| Not voting
Total| 34| 9| 4
Total percent| 72.34%| 19.14%| 8.51%
Democrat| 1| 7| 0
Republican| 33| 2| 4

| Vote in the Oklahoma House of Representatives
April 23, 2018

Requirement: Simple majority vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 51 a
| Yes| No| Not voting
Total| 68| 22| 10
Total percent| 68.00%| 22.00%| 10.00%
Democrat| 20| 3| 5
Republican| 48| 19| 5

## How to cast a vote[edit]

See also: Voting in Oklahoma

### Poll times[edit]

In Oklahoma, all polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[13]

### Registration requirements[edit]

To vote in Oklahoma, one must be at least 18 years old, a United States citizen, and a resident of Oklahoma.[14] The deadline for registration is 25 days prior to the election.

“  | Voter registration applications are available at your County Election Board, post offices, tag agencies, libraries and many other public locations. You will be offered a voter registration application when you get your driver's license and when you apply for assistance at some government agencies. You also may download an application form.[5] |  ”

|
|

—Oklahoma State Election Board[14]

Once an applicant has been successfully registered, the county election board will mail him or her a voter identification card.[14]

### Automatic registration[edit]

Oklahoma does not practice automatic voter registration.

### Online registration[edit]

See also: Online voter registration

In April 2015, Oklahoma passed legislation authorizing an online voter registration system.[15] As of November 2019, this system was not yet fully active; already-registered voters could update their information, while new voters could not register online. To check the status of online registration in Oklahoma, click here.

### Same-day registration[edit]

Oklahoma does not allow same-day voter registration.

### Residency requirements[edit]

To register to vote in Oklahoma, you must be a resident of the state.

### Verification of citizenship[edit]

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Oklahoma does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration.

### Verifying your registration[edit]

The Oklahoma State Election Board allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

### Voter ID requirements[edit]

Oklahoma requires voters to present identification while voting.[16]

Valid forms of identification include government-issued photo IDs and county election board voter identification cards (which do not include photographs).

Voters can present a document issued by the United States government, the State of Oklahoma, or a federally recognized tribal government. The document must include the following information:

* Name
* Photograph
* Expiration date that is after the date of the election

#### Background[edit]

See also: Oklahoma Voter Identification Measure, State Question 746 (2010)

On May 8, 2018, the Oklahoma Supreme Court issued its ruling in Gentges v. Oklahoma State Election Board, finding that Oklahoma's voter identification law did not violate the state constitution. The court's per curiam opinion said: "[The] Oklahoma Voter ID Act is based on the State's attempt to prevent voter fraud and the lack of evidence of in-person voter fraud in the state is not a barrier to reasonable preventative legislation. Requiring voters to show proof of identity serves to protect the integrity and reliability of the electoral process and prevent in-person voter fraud." The case came to the state supreme court on appeal from the Oklahoma County District Court, which had similarly upheld the constitutionality of the state's voter ID law. The original suit was brought by Delilah Gentges, who alleged that the voter ID law was "unconstitutional as an interference with the free right to suffrage and equivalent to a poll tax."[17]

As of April 2021, 35 states enforced (or were scheduled to begin enforcing) voter identification requirements. A total of 21 states required voters to present photo identification at the polls; the remainder accepted other forms of identification. Valid forms of identification differ by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.[18][19]

## See also[edit]

2018 measures

* 2018 ballot measures
* Elections and campaigns on the ballot
* 2018 legislative sessions

Oklahoma

* Oklahoma ballot measures
* Oklahoma ballot measure laws

News and analysis

* Ballot measure lawsuits
* Ballot measure readability
* Ballot measure polls

|
|

## External links[edit]

* Senate Joint Resolution 66

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Oklahoma Legislature, "Senate Joint Resolution 66," accessed March 14, 2018
2. ↑ The Oklahoman, "Oklahoma lawmakers consider amending election laws," accessed April 27, 2018
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Oklahoma State Legislature, "Senate Joint Resolution 66," accessed March 14, 2018
4. ↑ Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb, "History of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor," accessed May 6, 2018
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 SoonerPoll, "Majority of Oklahomans believe the governor and lieutenant governor should run as a team on the ballot," accessed May 2, 2018
7. ↑ Tulsa World, "Tulsa World editorial: Five state question seek to redesign everything from state finance to the nature of eye care," accessed October 13, 2018
8. ↑ Enid News & Eagle, "Suggestions on 3 statewide ballot measures," accessed November 4, 2018
9. ↑ Oklahoma Ethics Commission Electronic Reporting System , "Committee Search," accessed January 31, 2019
10. ↑ National Lieutenant Governors Association, "Methods of Election," accessed February 22, 2019
11. ↑ News OK, "Oklahoma House defeats joint gubernatorial ticket amendment," accessed May 2, 2018
12. ↑ Oklahoma State Legislature, "Bill Information for HJR 1019 ," accessed May 6, 2018
13. ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed October 17, 2019
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Oklahoma State Election Board, "Voter Registration in Oklahoma," accessed October 4, 2019
15. ↑ NewsOK, "Oklahoma voter registration soon will be available online," June 16, 2015
16. ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Facts about Proof of Identity for Voting in Oklahoma," accessed October 7, 2019
17. ↑ Oklahoma State Courts Network, "Gentges v. Oklahoma State Election Board, Opinion," May 8, 2018
18. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voter Identification Requirements|Voter ID Laws," June 5, 2017
19. ↑ The Washington Post, "Do I need an ID to vote? A look at the laws in all 50 states," October 27, 2014

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