Related Articles

Voters Overwhelmingly Support Cooperation with Tribes

Sooner Survey: Volume 35 No. 6 ⎸September 25, 2023 | The last 20 years have seen remarkable changes in the image of tribes and tribal governments in Oklahoma.  In 2002, we asked a question that asked voters if Oklahoma’s tribes were an asset or had outlived their usefulness.  At that time, just over half (53%) saw them as an asset while a third held the opposite view. 

School Chief Race Wide Open

Sooner Survey: Volume 37 No. 8 ⎸May 14, 2026 ⎸I have to admit, I have been hesitant to release these numbers because what they tell us is that voters are NOT yet engaged in this contest. There is simply not a great deal of insight into the state of the race other than that one statement. Not a single candidate is in double-digits at this time and a remarkable 61% say they are undecided.
One demonstration of how wide open this contest is that Debra Herlihy – unknown to even the most politically active insiders – sits tied for third at 6% and actually leads among women (8%). The most prominent and likely explanation for her support is that her first name of Debra is the only name that is generally exclusively used for females (especially on the phone, Toni can come across as a male name).

Education Reforms Supported

Sooner Survey: Volume 32 No. 6 | November 30th, 2020 | Our recent study of voters shows them ready to make significant changes in our school system. Routinely, we see super-majorities of voters embracing school reforms. It might be easy to say that these reforms are just born out of frustration during Covid, but the reality is in at least one instance this study reaffirms previously recorded support.