Wednesday, a total of 254 candidates turned in their paperwork. Of those, 11 are congressional candidates and two are running for Corporation Commission, the only state office on the ballot this year.

The 243 filing for the state House or Senate was just one less than the total number who sought those offices of in 2012, the last comparable election year.

The 254 total filings was 21 less than in 2012, and the most for the first day of filing since 2004, when term-limits took effect for the first time.

Many of the first-time filers were educators, but not all. Democrats may have been more in evidence than in the past, but concern and even outrage were by no means confined to partisanship.

"It feels like the state is in a crisis situation," said Ben Scroggs, a school board member from Olive in rural Creek County who is running for Senate District 12 as an independent.

Edison Preparatory Academy teacher and coach John Croisant, a Republican, said he decided only Friday to file in House District 67, which will be open because of term limits.