State Representative
A member of the lower chamber of the state legislature, which writes state law and the state budget.
A member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, whose size the constitution fixes by formula: “The total population of the state as ascertained by the most recent Federal Decennial Census shall be divided by the number one hundred”, and that ratio apportions the members among the counties (Article V, Section 10A). Representatives must be at least twenty-one and live in the district throughout the term (Article V, Section 17).
Who it works with, and what passes between them:
- To State Senator: A bill has to pass both chambers in the same form before it can reach the governor, so one chamber's vote only gets it halfway. In most states a bill that raises revenue has to start in the lower chamber.
State Senator
One of forty-eight senators: "The state shall be apportioned into forty-eight senatorial districts", with one senator elected from each (Article V, Section 9A).
One of forty-eight senators: “The state shall be apportioned into forty-eight senatorial districts”, with one senator elected from each (Article V, Section 9A). Senators must be at least twenty-five, qualified electors in their districts, and resident there throughout the term (Article V, Section 17).
Who it works with, and what passes between them:
- From State Representative: A bill has to pass both chambers in the same form before it can reach the governor, so one chamber's vote only gets it halfway. In most states a bill that raises revenue has to start in the lower chamber.
- To Governor: What both chambers pass goes to the governor to sign or veto. The share of each chamber needed to override a veto is set by this state's own constitution and is on the legislature's office page.
- To Counties, cities, towns and school districts: The legislature writes the property tax, local tax and budget rules that every county, city, town and school district in the state has to work inside. A local council choosing a rate is choosing among options set here.
Governor
The state's chief executive. Signs or vetoes what the legislature passes, and runs the state agencies.
Oklahoma's chief executive: “The Supreme Executive power shall be vested in a Chief Magistrate, who shall be styled ‘The Governor of the State of Oklahoma’” (Article VI, Section 2). Four years, and the limit is counted in years rather than terms: “No person shall be eligible to serve as Governor for a period of time in excess of eight (8) years. Such years need not be consecutive” (Article VI, Section 4(B)(1)). Unusually, the governor appoints the secretary of state rather than running alongside an elected one (Article VI, Section 1(B)).
Who it works with, and what passes between them:
- From State Senator: What both chambers pass goes to the governor to sign or veto. The share of each chamber needed to override a veto is set by this state's own constitution and is on the legislature's office page.
- To Attorney General: The state's lawyer is elected separately in most states, so the governor cannot pick or remove the person who decides which laws to defend, which cases to bring, and which opinions to issue. Where the office is appointed instead, that page says so.
- To State Treasurer: The governor proposes a budget and the legislature appropriates, but the money itself sits with a separately elected treasurer. What that office may do with it is set by this state's own law.
- To Lieutenant Governor: In most states the lieutenant governor succeeds the governor and presides over the senate. Whether the two run on one ticket or are elected separately differs by state, and each page says which.
- To Counties, cities, towns and school districts: State agencies under the governor license, inspect, fund and audit the counties, cities and school districts below. Much of what a local government can do in practice depends on a state agency's rules.
Attorney General
Oklahoma's elected chief legal officer, named in the constitution and serving four years (Article VI, Sections 1(A) and 4(A)).
Oklahoma's elected chief legal officer, named in the constitution and serving four years (Article VI, Sections 1(A) and 4(A)). The office also sits, ex officio, on the State Board of Education — “Until otherwise provided by law, the Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General shall be ex-officio members, and with the Superintendent, compose said Board of Education” (Article XIII, Section 5).
Who it works with, and what passes between them:
- From Governor: The state's lawyer is elected separately in most states, so the governor cannot pick or remove the person who decides which laws to defend, which cases to bring, and which opinions to issue. Where the office is appointed instead, that page says so.
State Treasurer
Holds and invests the state's money.
Oklahoma's elected treasurer, named in the constitution and serving four years, with duties “as may be designated in this Constitution or prescribed by law” (Article VI, Sections 1(A) and 4(A)). The money itself is examined by a different elected officer — the State Auditor and Inspector — which is why Oklahoma has both.
Who it works with, and what passes between them:
- From Governor: The governor proposes a budget and the legislature appropriates, but the money itself sits with a separately elected treasurer. What that office may do with it is set by this state's own law.
Lieutenant Governor
Oklahoma's second-ranking executive officer, elected in the officer's own right rather than on the governor's ticket, for four years (Article VI, Sections 1(A) and 4(A)). The constitution gives this office one standing job and one contingent one: “He shall be president of the Senate, but shall have only a casting vote therein”, and the governorship “shall devolve upon the Lieutenant Governor” if that office falls vacant (Article VI, Sections 15 and 16).
Who it works with, and what passes between them:
- From Governor: In most states the lieutenant governor succeeds the governor and presides over the senate. Whether the two run on one ticket or are elected separately differs by state, and each page says which.
Counties, cities, towns and school districts
Every local government in the state. None of them can tax or spend outside what the legislature allows.
Elected separately, each at its own level.
Who it works with, and what passes between them:
- From State Senator: The legislature writes the property tax, local tax and budget rules that every county, city, town and school district in the state has to work inside. A local council choosing a rate is choosing among options set here.
- From Governor: State agencies under the governor license, inspect, fund and audit the counties, cities and school districts below. Much of what a local government can do in practice depends on a state agency's rules.