The winner of Oklahoma’s U.S. Senate election will be eligible to take office once election results are certified, rather than waiting until January, according to a formal opinion issued by Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
The opinion concludes that voters will elect someone to serve both the remainder of the term vacated by former U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin and the full six-year term that follows.
U.S. Senator Alan Armstrong’s appointment will end when the newly elected senator takes the oath of office, according to the opinion. The current Senate term ends January 3, 2027.
“Oklahomans will choose their next senator at the polls on Nov. 3, and that person will be eligible to take office once the election is certified,” Drummond said. “This opinion gives the Governor and the Legislature clear guidance on how to proceed.”
Drummond issued the opinion in response to separate requests from Governor Kevin Stitt and Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton.
Because the seat was already on this year’s ballot for a full term, the opinion finds that state law does not require a separate special election to fill the remaining months.
Once the State Election Board certifies the results, Stitt must certify the winner’s election for both terms to the U.S. Senate without delay, according to the opinion. The Senate administers the oath and determines the elections and qualifications of its members.
Mullin resigned in March to become U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. Stitt appointed Armstrong the following day. Before his appointment, Armstrong pledged that he would not run for the seat, as required by state law.
