Random drawing replaced decades-old system that automatically placed the state’s largest political party first.
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Republican Party will appear first on Oklahoma’s Nov. 3 general election ballot after a public drawing conducted Wednesday by the State Election Board, followed by the Democratic Party and Libertarian Party. Independent candidates will appear after candidates representing recognized political parties.
Republicans drew the top spot on Oklahoma’s November general election ballot Wednesday, but political scientists generally find ballot order has little to no measurable effect on election outcomes—particularly in states where one party enjoys a significant registration and voting advantage.
The ballot order was determined during a public drawing conducted by Secretary of the State Election Board Paul Ziriax, as required by Oklahoma law. The drawing establishes the order in which political parties and independent candidates will appear on the statewide general election ballot.
Until 1996, Oklahoma law placed the recognized political party with the largest number of registered voters first on the general election ballot, giving the state’s dominant party the top position in every election. Lawmakers changed the system that year, replacing the automatic placement with a random public drawing that gives each recognized political party an equal chance to appear first.
Being listed first on the ballot might help a candidate a little in races where voters aren’t familiar with the names. But in Oklahoma, most voters already know which party they plan to support long before they reach the voting booth. That makes ballot order far less important than party affiliation, the candidates and the issues in the campaign.
The Nov. 3 general election ballot will list recognized political parties in the following order:
- Republican Party
- Democratic Party
- Libertarian Party
Independent candidates will appear after candidates representing recognized political parties.
