The Oklahoma State Capitol. (Whitney Bryen/Oklahoma Watch) Happy New Year! From far-reaching policy decisions to hotly contested elections, there promises to be no shortage of Oklahoma news to follow in 2026.  Here’s a look at five political storylines to follow in 2026:  Who Emerges From a Crowded Field of Republican Gubernatorial Candidates? With Gov. Kevin [...]

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Oklahoma Watch reporters covered six important stories over the holidays. Here are the summaries and links.

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Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a racketeering petition against State Farm on Dec. 4, alleging the insurer systematically pre-denies legitimate hail and wind damage claims. The case mirrors a 2012 Illinois scandal where State Farm settled for $250 million after being accused of funneling $4 million to influence a Supreme Court justice.

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Fifth-grade students Lillie Colbert and Kennedy Fletcher work on laptops at Rosewood Elementary in Broken Arrow Public Schools. (Photo provided by the Oklahoma Department of Education.) This article was originally delivered to subscribers of our Education Watch newsletter. Sign up now to receive Education Watch directly in your inbox. Policymakers are looking to build on the success [...]

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Oklahoma legislators are proposing new eviction reforms after witnessing families churned through court without representation, driven by data showing pre-K and kindergarten students face the highest eviction rates and resulting educational harm.

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Out-of-state investor Jordan Lee imposed 40% rent increases on Talala mobile home residents through questionable lease-to-own contracts for units with mold, broken electricity and propane leaks. Legal experts say the leases likely violate Oklahoma law.

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More than 70 municipalities across 22 states are lobbying Congress for their own ZIP codes after the Postal Service denied their requests. Two House bills passed in July but have stalled in the Senate, with USPS claiming the changes would cost at least $800 million.

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Luther residents Swen Nordlang, left, and Phyllis Dragus sign in and receive their ballots and cast their votes for the primary election at the town's only polling station on June 28, 2022. (Whitney Bryen/Oklahoma Watch) For the first time in a decade, registered independents will be barred from voting in all partisan primaries for the [...]

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The Oklahoma Department of Corrections spent over $2 million on body cameras to promote transparency but refuses to release any recordings to the public, claiming security concerns. Other law enforcement agencies routinely share footage under the Open Records Act.

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Governor Kevin Stitt publicly criticized President Trump's cancellation of wind energy projects, calling it political weaponization. A federal judge ruled Trump's executive order halting wind development unlawful. Oklahoma ranks third nationally in wind energy production, making the dispute particularly significant for the state's economy.

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