Choosing Right Home Insurance
By Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready
Choosing the right homeowners insurance is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your home. Many Oklahoma homeowners focus only on the lowest premium, without checking what the policy actually covers. This can lead to major out‑of‑pocket costs after a storm, fire, or other disaster. Here are common mistakes to avoid with Oklahoma home insurance.

One of the biggest mistakes is not reviewing your coverage each year. When a claim happens, you may learn too late that your policy excludes certain losses or that your limits are too low. Meet with your insurance agent once a year to discuss updates to your home, major purchases, or rising construction costs.
Underinsurance is more common than many people think. Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder studied 5,000 claims from the 2021 Marshall Fire and found that 74% of policyholders were underinsured. The most severely underinsured had limits below 75% of the replacement cost. To put that into perspective, a homeowner with a $300,000 house could face a $75,000 shortfall after a total loss.

A low‑cost Oklahoma homeowners insurance policy may not give you the protection you need. Lower premiums often mean higher deductibles, lower limits, and more exclusions. Ask your agent if your policy uses actual cash value or replacement cost. Actual cash value subtracts depreciation, while replacement cost pays the full amount needed to rebuild today. Knowing the difference helps you make better decisions with your coverage.

After a loss, many homeowners cannot list everything they owned. A home inventory can make the claims process faster and easier. Use photos, videos, and serial numbers to document your items. You can download the NAIC Home Inventory App or use the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) Home Inventory Form. Keep a digital copy in case the physical copy is destroyed.

Many insurers offer discounts, and homeowners never ask about them, so ask your agent which ones apply to your policy. Bundling home and auto is one easy way to save. Some companies also offer discounts for home safety upgrades. Programs like the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) Wildfire Prepared Home™ Program or the FORTIFIED™ Program can help reduce risk and may lower costs. A FORTIFIED™ roof can qualify you for lower premiums and save the average homeowner $720 a year. Oklahoma homeowners can also apply for the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes grant program, which helps pay for a stronger, safer FORTIFIED™ roof. You can learn more at oid.ok.gov/okready.
Insurance should be proactive, not reactive. Taking time to review your policy, understand your coverage, document your belongings, and ask about discounts can save you money. For help or questions with Oklahoma homeowners insurance, contact OID at 800‑522‑0071 or visit www.oid.ok.gov.

Primary Election Recap
The 2026 primary election was held June 16 with the hotly contested GOP race for governor drawing most of the attention along with SQ 832 which proposed to raise the state’s minimum wage. 
Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former state Senator Mike Mazzei advanced to the August 25 GOP primary runoff election with the winner facing Democrat nominee Cyndi Munson,  state House minority leader, who easily defeated her two primary opponents. 
In the Republican race for lieutenant governor, former House Speaker T.W. Shannon won a multi-candidate primary without a runoff and will now face Democrat Kelly Forbes in the November 3 general election. 

State Rep. Jon Echols defeated Jeff Starling in the GOP primary for attorney general and now faces Democrat Nick Coffey in the general election. 
In other statewide Republican races, incumbent Treasurer Todd Russ was defeated by State Auditor Cindy Byrd. State Reps. John Pfeiffer and Kevin West face off in the primary runoff for labor commissioner, while Robert Franklin and James Taylor do the same for state superintendent of public instruction. Bob Sullivan and Marty Quinn are in a runoff for insurance commissioner and state Rep. Brad Boles advanced to the general election for corporation commissioner. 
Democratic primary winners were Munson (governor), Jeanettie Marshall (state superintendent) and Rhonda Eastman (corporation commissioner).
In state legislative races, one incumbent, Republican Senator Dusty Deevers (SD 32), was defeated while two other GOP incumbent senators, Jack Stewart (SD 18) and Dana Prieto (SD 30) are in primary runoff elections.  No Republican or Democrat incumbent state House members were defeated. 
The hotly contested and much publicized SQ 832 was handily defeated 55%-45% after a strong push by pro-business and agriculture advocates. 
In federal races, First District U. S. Rep. Kevin Hern easily won the Republican nomination for the U. S. Senate seat vacated by former Senator Markwayne Mullin. Hern will face the winner of the Democratic primary runoff between Jim Priest and N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas. 
In the hotly contested race to succeed Hern, state Rep. Mark Tedford advanced to the general election after Jackson Lahmeyer suspended his campaign 12 hours after his second place finish in the primary.  Incumbent Republican U.S. Reps. Josh Brecheen (CD 2), Frank Lucas (CD 3) and Tom Cole (CD 4) easily won their primaries. 
Democratic congressional primary winners were N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas and Jim Priest (U.S. Senate primary runoff), Brandon Wade (CD 2), Suzie Byrd (CD 3), Mitchell Jacob (CD 4) and Jena Nelson (CD 5). 
The primary runoff election is Tuesday, August 25 with polls open from 7am-7pm. Early walk-in voting will be held August 19 and 20 from 8am-6pm and August 21 from 8am-2pm at all 77 county election boards. Some more populated counties also offer alternative voting locations. 

Low Primary Voter Turnout
An open race for governor, crowded statewide primaries and a statewide ballot question were not enough to bring most Oklahoma voters to the polls June 16, continuing a longstanding pattern of modest participation in primary elections.
Unofficial returns show that at least 575,283 voters participated in the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial primaries, including 402,917 Republicans and 172,366 Democrats. Additional voters cast ballots only in legislative races or on SQ 832, meaning overall turnout will be somewhat higher.
Tuesday’s election featured one of the most competitive statewide primary ballots in recent years. Republicans held contested races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, labor commissioner, insurance commissioner, corporation commissioner and state superintendent of public instruction, along with numerous legislative contests. Democrats also held an open gubernatorial primary and several other contested races.
The election also marked Oklahoma’s first open gubernatorial contest since 2018, a circumstance that often generates increased voter interest because there was no incumbent seeking another term. Even so, preliminary numbers indicate that a substantial majority of Oklahoma’s registered voters did not participate in the election.  Because Republicans hold a dominant registration advantage in Oklahoma and routinely win statewide elections, many contests are effectively decided in the GOP primary rather than in November.
The approximately 403,000 Republicans who participated in Tuesday’s gubernatorial primary represent only about one-sixth of Oklahoma’s more than 2.4 million registered voters, illustrating how a relatively small segment of the electorate often plays a decisive role in choosing the state’s leaders.

Deceased Candidate Plays Role in Senate Primary
More than six weeks after Republican state Senate candidate Barry Christian was found dead in western Oklahoma under circumstances that remain under investigation, 530 voters still cast ballots for him in last Tuesday’s GOP primary.
The posthumous vote total amounted to 6.5% of all ballots cast in the Senate District 38 race and became one of the more unusual storylines of Oklahoma’s primary election.
Christian, a Sayre drilling consultant and one of three Republican candidates seeking the open Senate seat, disappeared in late April after failing to appear for a scheduled meeting. Authorities later found his body inside his pickup truck in the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area south of Erick. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation continues to investigate his death.
Because Christian died after the candidate filing period had closed, Oklahoma election law required his name to remain on the ballot.
With all 70 precincts reporting, Rick Vernon won the Republican nomination outright with 4,157 votes, or 50.6%. Joe Buchanan finished second with 3,533 votes, or 43.0%, while Christian received 530 votes.
The results underscore just how consequential Christian’s presence on the ballot became. Vernon exceeded the 50% threshold required to avoid an August runoff by just 47 votes. Meanwhile, the 530 votes cast for Christian represented enough support to have significantly affected the dynamics of the race had those voters been forced to choose between the remaining candidates as there is no way to know how those votes might have been distributed in a two-candidate contest.

Weaver Appointed Interim Cleveland County Sheriff
State Senator Darrell Weaver (SD 24) of Moore, who finished second in the June 16 Republican primary for Lt. Governor, has been appointed as Cleveland County Interim Sheriff replacing Chris Amason who resigned recently after pleading no contest to an embezzlement indictment. Weaver, who did not file for reelection to the Senate last April, will take over as Sheriff on July 6. Before serving in the Senate, Weaver served for 28 years at the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics, serving as director from 2006 to 2018. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2014.  

OESC Releases Unemployment Report
State officials are encouraging residents and business owners affected by the storms to report damage through the state’s damage assessment portal. Emergency management officials said assessments are continuing and additional counties could be added to the disaster declaration as more information becomes available. Oklahoma’s unemployment rate ticked up in May, even as the state added payroll jobs during the month.The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.1% in May, up from 4.0% in April, according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. The national unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3%.
Oklahoma’s unemployment rate remained below the national average, but it was a full percentage point higher than in May 2025, when the state jobless rate stood at 3.1%.
The report showed 82,121 Oklahomans were unemployed in May, up 2,058 from April and up 18,661 from a year earlier. Statewide employment declined by 4,118 people during the month and was down 42,223 from May 2025.
Oklahoma’s labor force also declined. The state’s seasonally adjusted labor force totaled 1,994,372 in May, down 2,060 from April and down 23,562 from a year earlier.
The labor-force figures showed fewer Oklahomans employed, while a separate payroll survey showed a slight increase in jobs.
Oklahoma’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 2,200 jobs in May, a 0.1% gain from April. The state had 1,795,600 nonfarm jobs in May, down 1,800 from a year earlier.
Seven of Oklahoma’s major industry sectors added jobs during the month. Leisure and hospitality posted the largest monthly gain, adding 1,500 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities added 500 jobs.
Professional and business services recorded the largest monthly decline, losing 1,100 jobs. Construction lost 200 jobs during the month. Over the year, education and health services posted the strongest gain, adding 4,900 jobs. Other services added 3,000 jobs, while mining, logging and construction added 2,000 jobs. The largest annual losses came in professional and business services, which was down 4,400 jobs, and trade, transportation and utilities, which was down 2,400 jobs. Manufacturing employment declined by 2,100 jobs over the year.
The report also showed Oklahoma’s private-sector average hourly wage increased. The 12-month average reached $31.45 in May, up from $31.33 in April and $30.52 in May 2025.

May GR Collections Outpace Estimate
Oklahoma’s General Revenue Fund collections continued to outpace expectations in May, according to figures released by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. May GRF collections totaled $701.5 million, which was $64.9 million, or 10.2%, above the monthly estimate. Collections were also up $57.9 million, or 9%, compared to May 2025.
For the first 11 months of Fiscal Year 2026, GRF collections have reached $7.9 billion. That total is $458.3 million, or 6.2%, above the year-to-date estimate and $97.6 million, or 1.3%, higher than collections during the same period in Fiscal Year 2025.
“With May’s reported collections, the state remains ahead of its certified revenue projections heading into the final month of FY 2026,” said OMES Director Mark Wood. “The latest totals exceeded monthly and year-to-date estimates and prior-year collections, keeping overall revenue performance on track as the fiscal year nears its close.”
The State Board of Equalization is scheduled to meet June 15 to re-certify the amount of revenue available for appropriation by the Oklahoma Legislature for Fiscal Year 2027.

Governor Appoints Interim ODMHSAS Commissioner
Governor Kevin Stitt has appointed Josh Anderson as interim commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, placing a veteran state health administrator in charge of an agency that has spent the past two years under intense financial and political scrutiny. Anderson currently serves as chief of staff for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, where he oversees contracting, compliance, communications, legal affairs and legislative relations. He previously served in leadership roles at the Oklahoma State Department of Health, according to the governor’s office.
“Josh Anderson understands how to run government more efficiently while keeping the focus on serving people,” Stitt said in a statement announcing the appointment.
The appointment comes as the mental health agency continues to recover from a prolonged period of leadership turnover, budget disputes and legislative investigations tied to agency finances and management practices.
In a statement released by the governor’s office, Anderson said his focus would be maintaining services while improving accountability and transparency.
“Some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable citizens interact with this agency,” Anderson said. “It is a top priority that we are serving them to the best of our ability while maintaining transparency and accountability in everything we do.”
Anderson replaces retired Navy Rear Adm. Gregory Slavonic, who has served as interim commissioner while state leaders worked to stabilize the agency.
The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services oversees the state’s public behavioral health system and administers mental health and addiction treatment programs across Oklahoma.

Pinnell To Receive Leadership Award
Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell has been honored with the Visionary Leadership Award during this year’s deadCenter Film Festival for his efforts to grow Oklahoma’s film and television industry.
The award recognizes individuals whose leadership has helped advance Oklahoma’s creative economy and strengthen the state’s position as a destination for film, television and digital media production. Under Pinnell’s leadership as lieutenant governor and secretary of tourism, Oklahoma has expanded its film incentive programs and attracted a growing number of film and television productions. State officials say the industry has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity while creating jobs across Oklahoma.
“Oklahoma’s film industry is one of our state’s greatest economic development success stories,” Pinnell said. “From major motion pictures and television productions to independent filmmakers telling uniquely Oklahoma stories, we’ve built an industry that is creating jobs, driving tourism and showcasing our state to audiences around the world.”
The award was presented during the 26th annual deadCenter Film Festival, which ran June 10 through June 14 in downtown Oklahoma City. Founded in 2001, the festival is Oklahoma’s largest film festival and showcases independent filmmakers from Oklahoma and across the country. This year’s festival will also honor Lou Diamond Phillips as the inaugural recipient of the Legacy Icon Award.

Chickasaw Nation Governor Announces Retirement
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby is retiring June 26 after nearly 40 years leading the 12th largest indigenous tribe in the United States. Anoatubby, respected throughout Oklahoma government, has been a public fixture for decades both in and out of tribal business. 
Anoatubby was last elected to a four-year term in 2023.  His son,Chris, the elected lieutenant governor of the tribe, will finish the remainder of his term according to the Chickasaw Nation Constitution.
In a statement the elder Anoatubby said, “It has been a blessing and my great honor to serve the citizens of the Chickasaw Nation as Governor. After much prayer, thought and discussion with my family, I have decided it is time to retire and entrust leadership to a new generation of dedicated and capable leaders.”  

Gas Prices Continue to Decrease
Gasoline prices across the U.S. and Oklahoma are quickly falling, reaching a national average of $4.17 per gallon while the average in Oklahoma had dropped to $3.66, according to AAA.
The travel group said nationally, prices averaged $4.55 a gallon one month ago and only a week ago, it was $4.33 per gallon. Oklahoma’s average fell 2 cents from Saturday to Sunday and 16 cents from the previous week. A month ago, Oklahoma had an average gasoline price of $3.98. The average price in Lawton and Oklahoma City is the same at $3.54 per gallon while Tulsa’s average is higher at $3.71. Oklahoma City prices fell 13 cents in the past week and 37 cents over the past month. But a check with GasBuddy found at least five places where gasoline is pumped at $3.07 a gallon in the city. Tulsa’s average dropped 13 cents as well over the prior week and 29 cents from a month earlier when it averaged $4 a gallon. GasBuddy’s lowest price in Tulsa was $3.39.
Four counties across the state still have average gasoline prices of more than $4. Ellis County in the northwest corner of Oklahoma has an average price of $4.15 per gallon while in the opposite end of the state, Coal County’s average is $4.14. Dewey County in the northwest recorded an average price of $4.10 while Blaine County averaged $4.05 per gallon.
The lowest county average in the state is $4.34 in Oklahoma County while Tillman County next to the state line with Texas is $3.50.
The drop in prices is seen as a relief for summer drivers who are taking road trips. There remains a large amount of uncertainty about the war with Iran and whether there will be a peace deal reached. Plus, there is the issue of the Strait of Hormuz and when it might reopen to the flow of oil tankers.
Oklahoma’s average of $3.66 is not the lowest in the region. The honor goes to Texas where motorists face an average of $3.64 per gallon. Averages in other states include: Kansas $3.80; Colorado $4.17; New Mexico $4.06; Arkansas $3.81 and Missouri $3.85.

OTA Seeks Bond Funds
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has voted to pursue another $1.5 billion in borrowing for its ACCESS Oklahoma expansion program while authorizing potential eminent domain proceedings along planned routes. According to OTA, the 15-year ACCESS Oklahoma program is currently estimated to cost about $8.2 billion and is intended to improve connections between turnpikes, interstates and growing communities across the state.
“This next bond issuance should carry us for at least another year of construction,” OTA Executive Director Joe Echelle told board members. The proposed borrowing would be the third major bond issuance associated with the ACCESS Oklahoma program. The authority issued $500 million in bonds in 2023 and another $1 billion in January 2025. Additional bond issuances are expected every one to two years as construction continues.
Turnpike projects are financed through revenue bonds, which are repaid through toll collections rather than state appropriations. The Oklahoma Supreme Court upheld the authority’s use of bonds for the ACCESS Oklahoma program in 2023.
The board also approved a resolution authorizing the use of eminent domain if negotiations with certain property owners fail to result in agreements. The resolution covers parcels along the Turner Turnpike corridor and the proposed East-West corridor near Norman. More than 50 parcels in Cleveland, Creek, Lincoln, McClain and Oklahoma counties were identified on the meeting agenda as potentially affected. OTA officials said the authorization does not end ongoing negotiations with landowners.
“As we ask this resolution of the board, it does not stop negotiations,” said Todd Gore, the authority’s director of right-of-way and utilities. “We will continue to negotiate and always try to settle with landowners.”

New Reporting Requirements Increase Transparency for Local Elections
Candidates seeking local office in Oklahoma are now subject to expanded campaign finance reporting requirements under a law designed to increase transparency in local elections. 
Senate Bill 890 requires candidates for county offices, municipal positions, school boards and technology center boards to register with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission and file campaign finance reports if they raise or spend more than $1,000 on a campaign. The law took effect November 1, 2025.  The change shifts many candidates who previously filed at the local level into the state’s reporting system, making campaign finance information more accessible to the public. 
“The expansion of reporting rules also provides greater transparency for the public,” Oklahoma Ethics Commission Executive Director Lee Anne Bruce Boone said. 
Campaign finance reports and other required filings are submitted through Guardian, the Ethics Commission’s online filing system. The system also allows the public to review campaign finance information, giving voters greater insight into the role money plays in local elections. Officeholders covered by the law are also required to file personal financial disclosures. According to the Ethics Commission, the changes are intended to benefit candidates, officeholders and Oklahoma voters by expanding public access to campaign finance information.