Gov. Kevin Stitt will face Democrat Joy Hofmeister, Libertarian Natalie Bruno and independent Ervin Stone Yen in the November gubernatorial general election following primary elections for the two major parties, unofficial results show.
Endorsed by former President Donald Trump, Stitt aims to continue his mission to make Oklahoma a “Top Ten” state during his second term in office. His platform includes promoting public safety and working with district attorneys following the McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling.
Highlights of his first term include the announcement of the ACCESS Oklahoma turnpike project, the nation’s largest commutation of low-level drug offenders and the signing of Senate Bill 612, which classifies performing an abortion as a felony crime.
Stitt also signed Senate Bill 2, or the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” which prevents transgender girls and women from competing on female teams.
Hofmeister, current state superintendent of public instruction, switched parties from Republican to Democrat in October 2021 when she announced her bid for governor. She plans to reform education, health care and gun safety, if elected.
Hofmeister defeated Connie Johnson, who is an advocate for the decriminalization of marijuana, in the Democratic primary.
Bruno is the only Libertarian candidate, earning her party’s nomination. On her campaign website, she emphasized her view against federal vaccine mandates and her goal to increase healthcare transparency, and stated the government “has no place” in healthcare decisions like abortions.
Former state Senator Yen is the only independent in this race. He changed his voter registration from Republican to independent in October 2021 prior to his gubernatorial run.
Yen aims to stop the manufacturing and distributing of opioids, presents a contagious disease plan for in case of future medical emergencies, like COVID-19, and wants to place abortion on a ballot for voters to decide.
The general election is on Tuesday, Nov. 8. The voter registration deadline is on Oct. 14, and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is on Oct. 24. To check your voter registration, visit the OK Voter Portal.
