After nearly three years in the works, a state question to raise Oklahoma's minimum wage hits the ballot today.
State Question 832 asks voters to decide whether Oklahoma's minimum wage should be decoupled from the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, bringing it to $15 by 2029. The last time the national number saw an increase was in 2009.
If passed, the question would start wage increases in 2027, raising the wage to $12. Then, it would rise by $1.50 each year through 2029. In 2030 and beyond, the state minimum wage would be tied to the U.S. Department of Labor's Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for increases in accordance with the cost of living.
The organizers of the question began working on a proposition in 2023 and collected signatures in 2024. After the petition was verified as meeting the signature threshold, advocates hoped it would be placed on the November 2024 ballot.
Gov. Kevin Stitt, who possesses the authority to decide when ballot measures go to election, decided instead to put it on the June 2026 ballot, nearly two years after the measure's intended election date. Stitt called the move a cost-saving measure, as he said he wanted to avoid paying nearly $2 million for a statewide special election. Advocates, however, pointed out that Stitt had previously called a special election in March 2023 for a state question on legalizing recreational marijuana.
Because of the gap between when the measure was drafted and when it will be voted on, the ballot language could create confusion for some voters. The question asks about increasing the minimum wage to $9 in 2025, and adding $1.50 each year after, even though 2025 is over and the minimum wage is still $7.25. But if the proposal is approved by voters, state policy will jump into the middle of that schedule, starting with increasing the wage to $12 once 2027 begins.
Supporters of the question argue that too much time has passed without a wage increase, and Oklahoma workers in essential jobs are struggling. Opponents say that most Oklahoma jobs already pay above the minimum wage, and that a wage increase could lead to job losses as employers look to cut costs.
Check out our story from last month to learn more about the question and its potential effects.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. You can find your polling location on the Oklahoma Voter Portal.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
