On June 16, 2026, Oklahomans will vote on SQ 832. Visit www.sq832killsjobs.com to learn more.

With only days left until the June 16 election on State Question 832, members of the Oklahoma City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America have been making their final pitch to convince Oklahoma voters to approve the measure.

In a June 10 post on the group’s Facebook page, the Democratic Socialists of America urged like-minded individuals to promote SQ 832 in Oklahoma County, Norman, Stillwater, Lawton, and Tulsa County on June 13, and again in Oklahoma City and Norman on June 14.

“Check out all these photos we’ve taken at canvasses over the last 9 months!” the Democratic Socialists post declared. “This weekend is your last chance to join fellow Okies spreading the word about raising the minimum wage in Oklahoma.”

State Question 832 would more than double Oklahoma’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2029 and then continue increasing it every year based on increases in the cost-of-living in the nation’s largest urban centers, as measured by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

That would effectively tie Oklahoma’s wage mandate to the cost of living in places like New York City or San Francisco, where it far exceeds Oklahoma norms, particularly in rural communities.

Data shows SQ 832 would escalate the wage mandate significantly faster than actual inflation in Oklahoma. The CPI-W has increased by up to 80 percent more than the annual Oklahoma inflation rate.

While SQ 832 would initially mandate that entry-level jobs pay $15 an hour in 2029, an analysis by The State Chamber of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Farm Bureau found SQ 832 would put Oklahoma’s minimum wage on a fast track to $35.61 per hour and continue rising thereafter.

As the wage mandate grows at a rate exceeding Oklahoma inflation, it is expected to drive up the costs of countless goods and services statewide, quickly eating away at Oklahoma’s current low cost of living.

In addition, SQ 832 eliminates minimum-wage exemptions that have been in place for decades for farms and ranches, part-time employment, and teenage employment, meaning even the smallest businesses would be hammered by the mandate. And the wage mandate applies to nearly all businesses, regardless of size.

While socialists are among the most prominent fans of SQ 832, the measure has drawn opposition from a wide range of organizations and officials in Oklahoma, including The State Chamber of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, Oklahoma Restaurant Association, Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce, Enid Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Businesses, and more.

The officials opposing the measure include the top five contenders for the Republican gubernatorial nomination this year—Gentner Drummond, Chip Keating, Mike Mazzei, Charles McCall, and Jake Merrick, as well as current Gov. Kevin Stitt.

Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell is also among those opposed to SQ 832.

In a statement, Pinnell warned, “State Question 832 poses a threat to every Oklahoma small business and the employees they support. This same proposal has been a job killer in states like California. Families and seniors there have seen prices rise on essentials like groceries and childcare far above what Oklahomans have experienced.”

More than 100 state lawmakers have also come out in opposition to SQ 832.

Because SQ 832’s wage mandate applies to city and county governments, local officials have warned it will drive up taxpayer expenses and force increases in utility rates and property taxes.

The Economic Policy Institute, which supports SQ 832, put out a report in March that estimated the increased labor expenses created for Oklahoma employers by the proposal will total more than $783 million annually at the $15-an-hour rate, with additional increases imposed each subsequent year.

That $783 million increase will be passed on to Oklahoma consumers, and the scope of pass-along costs will increase each year under SQ 832.

A forecast by the NFIB Research Center found that SQ 832 would cause Oklahoma to lose up to 16,000 jobs and lead to a loss of $700 million in economic output by 2035. Sixty percent of job losses would occur at small businesses. More than one in four job losses would occur at businesses with fewer than 20 employees.