× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

Runoff primary elections don’t often make much difference in Oklahoma politics. But when they do, they make a big difference.

This could be one of those years.

The 13 legislative runoff elections on Aug. 23 are all for open seats, and in almost every case the winner will be favored in the general election. That alone means a significant impact on the composition of the next Legislature.

There’s more.

Eleven of the runoffs are Republican. Republicans run state government and are likely to continue running it, at least for the foreseeable future — unless they vote for the wrong candidates in primaries and runoffs.

Eleven seats might not seem like that many in a 149-member Legislature, but they can have a significant impact on a party’s direction — especially a majority party. One or two committee votes can decide whether a piece of legislation lives or dies. A House speakership or Senate presidency pro tem can rise or fall on a handful of members.

Democrats have two runoffs, and they matter, too. One will determine who the Democrats send out to try to hold House District 16, which includes the southeast corner of Tulsa County.