# Oklahoma State Question 832 An initiated state statute on Oklahoma's June 16, 2026 ballot that would raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 (the federal floor, unchanged since 2009) to $15/hour by 2029 — $12 in 2027, $13.50 in 2028, $15 in 2029, with annual inflation adjustments thereafter. Also removes existing exemptions from the Oklahoma Minimum Wage Act. ## Stakes The [[Economic Policy Institute]] estimates the raise would increase wages for 357,700 workers — roughly one-fifth of Oklahoma's wage-earning workforce — by a combined $783 million per year. Oklahoma is among the reddest states in the country (Trump carried it by 33 points in 2024), yet minimum-wage ballot measures have consistently outperformed partisan baselines in similar states: Arkansas (2018, passed 68%), Florida (2020, passed 61%), Nebraska (2024, passed). ## Opposition The Oklahoma Farm Bureau, State Chamber of Commerce, and National Federation of Independent Business are running coordinated opposition, arguing the increase would drive up prices, eliminate jobs, and harm small businesses and family farms. ## Significance The June 16 date is notable — it's an off-cycle election that typically draws lower turnout, yet the measure has generated significant public engagement. If SQ 832 passes in a state where the legislature has shown zero appetite for a wage increase, it will be another data point for the power of the ballot initiative as a tool for policies that command majority public support but face legislative capture by business interests. ## Related - [[Labor Movement]], [[National Labor Relations Act]] - [[2026 Ballot Measures Hub]] — full 2026 ballot landscape - [[2026 Midterms Hub]]