Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Encyclopedia
The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the presiding officer
of the lower house
of the Oklahoma Legislature
, the Oklahoma House of Representatives
. The Speaker exercises administrative and procedural functions in the House, but most importantly remains a representative of his legislative district. The current Speaker is Kris Steele
, Republican from Shawnee, Oklahoma
.
The office of Speaker was created in 1907 by the Oklahoma Constitution
. The Speaker is selected by the House of Representative itself, and it its highest ranking officer. While not a constitutional requirement, the speaker is usually a member of the majority party. Most leadership elections follow strict party lines.
The Speaker of the House is third in line of succession to the Governorship of Oklahoma
, behind the Lieutenant Governor and the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate
. The Speaker's counterpart in the Oklahoma Senate
is the President of the Senate
.
representative and President of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention William H. Murray
was selected. Sworn into office on November 16, 1907, (the same day Oklahoma was admitted to the Union) Murray serve as the Speaker from 1907 to 1909.
James B. A. Robertson
’s administration, in the 1920 mid-term elections, the Republicans won control of the House for the first time in state history. The Republicans selected George B. Schwabe
to control the House from 1921 to 1923. Under Speaker Schwabe’s leadership, the Republican House was in constant conflict Democratic Senate. Following a scandal in the Governor’s office, Speaker Schwabe led the charge to impeach many state officials. The House came within one vote of impeaching Governor Robertson.
In 1929, James C. Nance, then a Republican Representative from Walters, was elected Speaker when a coalition of dissident Democrats voting with the Republican caucus ousted Democrat Rep. Allan Street from the Speaker's office.
After the resignation of Speaker Harold Freeman after the 1943 session, Merle Lansden was elected Speaker, the first time a Speaker was elected due to a vacancy.
In 1957, B.E. “Bill” Harkey became the first Speaker to serve a second term. After Harkey’s landmark victory, having one Speaker serving multiple terms became the norm in the House. From 1959 through 2005, 11 individuals have served as the Speaker over 23 Legislative sessions. During this 46 year period, all but one Speaker served as two consecutive terms, with five Speakers serving three consecutive terms. Jim Barker from Muskogee, Oklahoma
holds the current record of four consecutive terms, serving from 1983 to 1989. However, Barker's lengthy tenure set the stage for his ouster: in 1989, he was removed from office by a coalition of dissident Democrats led by Rep. Cal Hobson, voting with the Republican caucus. In this event, the Democratic caucus acting alone selected Rep. Steve Lewis as the new Speaker, over Hobson.
, the Republicans gained control of the House for the first time since 1921. The Republicans selected Todd Hiett
to serve as the Speaker. Had the Democrats retained majority, Jari Askins
may have become the first female Speaker of the House. In 2006, Republican Speaker pro Tempore Susan Winchester (R-Chickasha) was seen by many political observers as in line to become the first female Speaker and yet, was defeated by Rep. Lance Cargill (R-Choctaw), a former Majority leader.
Following the 2006 election, the Republicans retained the majority in the House for the first time in 82 years. They selected Lance Cargill
to succeeded Hiett as the Speaker. In 2008, Speaker Cargill resigned when he failed to properly address questions about his filing income and property taxes late and a campaign fundraising ethics investigation. Following Cargill's resignation as Speaker in January, 2008, Chris Benge
was elected to succeed him. In 2010, Chris Benge was term-limited and therefore couldn't run again. He was succeeded by Kris Steele
in 2011.
, the speaker is third in line behind the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
and the President pro tempore
of the Oklahoma Senate
.
In the House of Representatives, the order of rank is the speaker, the speaker pro tempore, the majority leader, the majority whip, the majority caucus chair, and the Appropriations Committee chair. The minority leader is also an officer, but has little authority, other than to negotiate on behalf of the minority party on matters of legislative policy.
provides, “The House of Representatives shall, at the beginning of each regular session and at such other times as may be necessary, elect one of its members Speaker.” Unlike the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
, the Speaker is required to be a member of the House. Speakers are elected following each biennial general election, and serve two-year terms.
Following the general election, the party in majority comes together before the Legislature comes into session and elects the Speaker. After the party caucus
, the entire House formally votes on the Speaker. Whenever a Speaker resigns or dies, a new Speaker is elected in the same fashion.
As the Constitution allows for the election of a Speaker at “times as may be necessary,” when the House comes in Special
or Extraordinary Sessions, a new Speaker may be selected to fulfill the need.
In 1983, Speaker Dan Draper was convicted of a felony, election fraud, his office was declared vacant by the Governor George Nigh, who set the date for a special election. By the time his conviction was overturned on judicial appeal, his office as a Representative and as The Speaker, were already filled by others.
The Speaker's powers and duties extend beyond presiding in the chamber. In particular, he has great influence over the committee process. The Speaker appoints all members of committees and assigns each committee a room in the Oklahoma State Capitol. Moreover, when a bill is introduced, the Speaker determines which committee shall consider it. The Speaker is also an ex officio voting member on all House committees.
As a member of the House, the Speaker is entitled to participate in debate and to vote. By custom, however, he does so only in exceptional circumstances. Normally, the Speaker votes only when his vote would be decisive, and on matters of great importance (such as constitutional amendments). Even if the Speaker does not vote on the floor, the Speaker still retains the right to vote in committee.
to the Speaker of the House. The Speaker must then immediately, following the organization of the House, and before proceeding to other business, open and announce the election results in the presence of a majority of each house of the Legislature.
The Legislature may be called into special session by a written call, with specifically set out in the call, with a signed call by two-thirds of the members of the Senate and two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives. After the number of Senators and Representatives is met, the call is filed with the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives who must issue a join order for the convening of the special session.
According to Section 16 of Article Six of the Oklahoma Constitution, the Speaker is third in line to succeed to the Governorship in the event of a vacancy in the office. First in line is the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
, followed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and then the Speaker. No Speaker had ever had to become the Governor in that manner.
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
of the Oklahoma Legislature
Oklahoma Legislature
The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the biennial meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma. It is bicameral, comprising the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate, with all members elected directly by the people. The House of Representatives has 101...
, the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the...
. The Speaker exercises administrative and procedural functions in the House, but most importantly remains a representative of his legislative district. The current Speaker is Kris Steele
Kris Steele
Kris Steele is a United States politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Steele currently serves in the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the Speaker of the House, a position he took over after the 2010 elections....
, Republican from Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...
.
The office of Speaker was created in 1907 by the Oklahoma Constitution
Oklahoma Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Oklahoma is the governing document of the U.S. State of Oklahoma. Adopted in 1907, Oklahoma ratified the United States Constitution on November 16, 1907, as the 46th US State. At its ratification, the Oklahoma Constitution was the longest governing document of any...
. The Speaker is selected by the House of Representative itself, and it its highest ranking officer. While not a constitutional requirement, the speaker is usually a member of the majority party. Most leadership elections follow strict party lines.
The Speaker of the House is third in line of succession to the Governorship of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
, behind the Lieutenant Governor and the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate
President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate
The President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Oklahoma Senate and the highest-ranking State Senator. The Oklahoma Constitution states the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma serves ex officio as President of the Senate, and is the highest-ranking...
. The Speaker's counterpart in the Oklahoma Senate
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution....
is the President of the Senate
Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
The Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the Lieutenant Governor becomes the new Governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resignation, or removal of the Governor...
.
Statehood (1907-1921)
Following the statehood of Oklahoma in 1907, the first Speaker was elected. Unlike present day Speaker elections, since all candidates had no prior service in the House, there were no prominent former House leaders to select from. Since the Democrats controlled the House, members knew the Speaker was going to be a Democrat. After much deliberation, former Chickasaw NationChickasaw Nation
The Chickasaw Nation is a federally recognized Native American nation, located in Oklahoma. They are one of the members of the Five Civilized Tribes. The Five Civilized Tribes were differentiated from other Indian reservations in that they had semi-autonomous constitutional governments and...
representative and President of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention William H. Murray
William H. Murray
William Henry Davis "Alfalfa Bill" Murray was an American teacher, lawyer, and politician who became active in Oklahoma before statehood as legal adviser to Governor Douglas H. Johnston of the Chickasaw Nation...
was selected. Sworn into office on November 16, 1907, (the same day Oklahoma was admitted to the Union) Murray serve as the Speaker from 1907 to 1909.
Republican Control (1921-1923)
In the first 13 years of Oklahoma’s statehood, the Democrats held control of both the House and the Senate. However, following problems faced by Democratic GovernorGovernor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
James B. A. Robertson
James B. A. Robertson
James Brooks Ayers Robertson , sometimes called J. B. A. Robertson, was an American lawyer who served as the fourth governor of Oklahoma.-Early life:...
’s administration, in the 1920 mid-term elections, the Republicans won control of the House for the first time in state history. The Republicans selected George B. Schwabe
George B. Schwabe
George Blaine Schwabe was a Republican politician and a U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma.Schwabe was born in Arthur, Missouri in Vernon County to George Washington Schwabe and Emily Ellen Schwabe. He attended public schools in his hometown. In 1910, he graduated from the law department at the...
to control the House from 1921 to 1923. Under Speaker Schwabe’s leadership, the Republican House was in constant conflict Democratic Senate. Following a scandal in the Governor’s office, Speaker Schwabe led the charge to impeach many state officials. The House came within one vote of impeaching Governor Robertson.
Democratic Control (1923-2005)
After the 1922 general election, the Democrats regained control of the House. The Democrats would maintain their control of the House for the next eighty years.In 1929, James C. Nance, then a Republican Representative from Walters, was elected Speaker when a coalition of dissident Democrats voting with the Republican caucus ousted Democrat Rep. Allan Street from the Speaker's office.
After the resignation of Speaker Harold Freeman after the 1943 session, Merle Lansden was elected Speaker, the first time a Speaker was elected due to a vacancy.
In 1957, B.E. “Bill” Harkey became the first Speaker to serve a second term. After Harkey’s landmark victory, having one Speaker serving multiple terms became the norm in the House. From 1959 through 2005, 11 individuals have served as the Speaker over 23 Legislative sessions. During this 46 year period, all but one Speaker served as two consecutive terms, with five Speakers serving three consecutive terms. Jim Barker from Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
holds the current record of four consecutive terms, serving from 1983 to 1989. However, Barker's lengthy tenure set the stage for his ouster: in 1989, he was removed from office by a coalition of dissident Democrats led by Rep. Cal Hobson, voting with the Republican caucus. In this event, the Democratic caucus acting alone selected Rep. Steve Lewis as the new Speaker, over Hobson.
Republican Control (2005-present)
After the 2004 Presidential Election2004 presidential election
The 2004 presidential election may refer to:* Afghan presidential election, 2004* Algerian presidential election, 2004* Austrian presidential election, 2004* Dominican Republic presidential election, 2004* Georgia presidential election, 2004...
, the Republicans gained control of the House for the first time since 1921. The Republicans selected Todd Hiett
Todd Hiett
Todd Hiett is an American rancher and Republican politician from Kellyville. He served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1995 until 2007. During his final two years in office, Hiett served as the Speaker of the House...
to serve as the Speaker. Had the Democrats retained majority, Jari Askins
Jari Askins
Jari Askins is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from the US state of Oklahoma. She was the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, being the second female and the first Democratic female to hold that position....
may have become the first female Speaker of the House. In 2006, Republican Speaker pro Tempore Susan Winchester (R-Chickasha) was seen by many political observers as in line to become the first female Speaker and yet, was defeated by Rep. Lance Cargill (R-Choctaw), a former Majority leader.
Following the 2006 election, the Republicans retained the majority in the House for the first time in 82 years. They selected Lance Cargill
Lance Cargill
Lance Cargill is an American lawyer and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Cargill served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House from January 2, 2007 to January 28, 2008...
to succeeded Hiett as the Speaker. In 2008, Speaker Cargill resigned when he failed to properly address questions about his filing income and property taxes late and a campaign fundraising ethics investigation. Following Cargill's resignation as Speaker in January, 2008, Chris Benge
Chris Benge
Chris Benge is a United States Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Benge served as the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the Speaker of the House, a position he took over after Lance Cargill resigned in January 2008.Benge was first elected to the House of Representatives in...
was elected to succeed him. In 2010, Chris Benge was term-limited and therefore couldn't run again. He was succeeded by Kris Steele
Kris Steele
Kris Steele is a United States politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Steele currently serves in the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the Speaker of the House, a position he took over after the 2010 elections....
in 2011.
Importance
In the gubernatorial line of successionGovernor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
, the speaker is third in line behind the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
The Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the Lieutenant Governor becomes the new Governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resignation, or removal of the Governor...
and the President pro tempore
President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate
The President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Oklahoma Senate and the highest-ranking State Senator. The Oklahoma Constitution states the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma serves ex officio as President of the Senate, and is the highest-ranking...
of the Oklahoma Senate
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution....
.
In the House of Representatives, the order of rank is the speaker, the speaker pro tempore, the majority leader, the majority whip, the majority caucus chair, and the Appropriations Committee chair. The minority leader is also an officer, but has little authority, other than to negotiate on behalf of the minority party on matters of legislative policy.
Election
Article Five of the Oklahoma ConstitutionOklahoma Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Oklahoma is the governing document of the U.S. State of Oklahoma. Adopted in 1907, Oklahoma ratified the United States Constitution on November 16, 1907, as the 46th US State. At its ratification, the Oklahoma Constitution was the longest governing document of any...
provides, “The House of Representatives shall, at the beginning of each regular session and at such other times as may be necessary, elect one of its members Speaker.” Unlike the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
, the Speaker is required to be a member of the House. Speakers are elected following each biennial general election, and serve two-year terms.
Following the general election, the party in majority comes together before the Legislature comes into session and elects the Speaker. After the party caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
, the entire House formally votes on the Speaker. Whenever a Speaker resigns or dies, a new Speaker is elected in the same fashion.
As the Constitution allows for the election of a Speaker at “times as may be necessary,” when the House comes in Special
Special session
In a legislature, a special session is a period when the body convenes outside of the normal legislative session. This most frequently occurs in order to complete unfinished tasks for the year , such as outlining the government's budget for the next fiscal year, biennium, or other period...
or Extraordinary Sessions, a new Speaker may be selected to fulfill the need.
In 1983, Speaker Dan Draper was convicted of a felony, election fraud, his office was declared vacant by the Governor George Nigh, who set the date for a special election. By the time his conviction was overturned on judicial appeal, his office as a Representative and as The Speaker, were already filled by others.
Powers
The Speaker holds a variety of powers as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives. Before any member may speak, he must seek the presiding officer's recognition. The presiding officer may call on members as he pleases, and may therefore control the flow of debate. The presiding officer decides all questions of orders during debate, seats in the camber, calls members to order for violating rules, and approves all claims for supplies and services. He is responsible for maintaining decorum in the House, and enforces the rules. On the floor of the House, the presiding officer is always addressed as "Mister Speaker" (even if the Speaker himself is not the individual presiding).The Speaker's powers and duties extend beyond presiding in the chamber. In particular, he has great influence over the committee process. The Speaker appoints all members of committees and assigns each committee a room in the Oklahoma State Capitol. Moreover, when a bill is introduced, the Speaker determines which committee shall consider it. The Speaker is also an ex officio voting member on all House committees.
As a member of the House, the Speaker is entitled to participate in debate and to vote. By custom, however, he does so only in exceptional circumstances. Normally, the Speaker votes only when his vote would be decisive, and on matters of great importance (such as constitutional amendments). Even if the Speaker does not vote on the floor, the Speaker still retains the right to vote in committee.
Other duties
Following the general election, the results for the election must be transmitted by the Secretary of State of OklahomaSecretary of State of Oklahoma
The Secretary of State of the State of Oklahoma is the chief clerical officer of Oklahoma and a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary of State is only appointed constitutional member of the executive branch of the Oklahoma state government...
to the Speaker of the House. The Speaker must then immediately, following the organization of the House, and before proceeding to other business, open and announce the election results in the presence of a majority of each house of the Legislature.
The Legislature may be called into special session by a written call, with specifically set out in the call, with a signed call by two-thirds of the members of the Senate and two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives. After the number of Senators and Representatives is met, the call is filed with the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives who must issue a join order for the convening of the special session.
According to Section 16 of Article Six of the Oklahoma Constitution, the Speaker is third in line to succeed to the Governorship in the event of a vacancy in the office. First in line is the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
The Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the Lieutenant Governor becomes the new Governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resignation, or removal of the Governor...
, followed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and then the Speaker. No Speaker had ever had to become the Governor in that manner.
List of Speakers
The complete (as of 2008) list of Speaker is below. Note: All locations are in Oklahoma.| # | Speaker | Party | Hometown | Legislature | Start of service | End of service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William H. Murray William H. Murray William Henry Davis "Alfalfa Bill" Murray was an American teacher, lawyer, and politician who became active in Oklahoma before statehood as legal adviser to Governor Douglas H. Johnston of the Chickasaw Nation... |
Democrat | Tishomingo | 1st | 1907 | 1909 |
| 2 | Ben F. Wilson | Democrat | Cereal | 2nd | 1909 | 1911 |
| 3 | W.A. Durant | Democrat | Durant | 3rd | 1911 | 1913 |
| - | W.B. Anthony | Democrat | Barlow | Special | 1911 | 1911 |
| 4 | J. Harvey Maxey | Democrat | Muskogee | 4th | 1913 | 1915 |
| 5 | A. McCrory | Democrat | Cornish | 5th | 1915 | 1917 |
| 6 | Paul Nesbitt | Democrat | McAlister | 6th | 1917 | 1919 |
| 7 | Tom C. Waldrep | Democrat | Shawnee | 7th | 1919 | 1921 |
| 8 | George B. Schwabe George B. Schwabe George Blaine Schwabe was a Republican politician and a U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma.Schwabe was born in Arthur, Missouri in Vernon County to George Washington Schwabe and Emily Ellen Schwabe. He attended public schools in his hometown. In 1910, he graduated from the law department at the... |
Republican | Nowata | 8th | 1921 | 1923 |
| 9 | Murray F. Gibbons | Democrat | Purcell | 9th | 1923 | 1925 |
| - | W.D. McBee | Democrat | Duncan | Special | 1923 | 1924 |
| 10 | J.B. Harper | Democrat | Talihina | 10th | 1925 | 1927 |
| 11 | D.A. Stovall | Democrat | Hugo | 11th | 1927 | 1929 |
| 12 | James C. Nance | Republican | Walters | 12th | 1929 | 1931 |
| 13 | Carlton Weaver | Democrat | Wilburton | 13th | 1931 | 1933 |
| 14 | Tom Anglin | Democrat | Holdenville | 14th | 1933 | 1935 |
| 15 | Leon C. Phillips Leon C. Phillips Leon Chase "Red" Phillips was the 11th Governor of Oklahoma.Phillips was born in Worth County, Missouri, and moved to Oklahoma at an early age. While a student at Epworth University in Oklahoma City, he studied for the ministry, but changed to law and received his LL.B. from the University of... |
Democrat | Okemah | 15th | 1935 | 1937 |
| 16 | J.T. Daniel | Democrat | Waurika | 16th | 1937 | 1939 |
| 17 | Don Welch | Democrat | Madill | 17th | 1939 | 1941 |
| 18 | E. Blumhagen | Democrat | Watonga | 18th | 1941 | 1943 |
| 19 | Harold Freeman | Democrat | Pauls Valley | 19th | 1943 | 1943 |
| 20 | Merle Lansden | Democrat | Beaver | 19th | 1944 | 1945 |
| 21 | Johnson Davis Hill | Democrat | Tulsa | 20th | 1945 | 1945 |
| 22 | H.I. Hinds | Democrat | Tahlequah | 20th | 1945 | 1947 |
| 23 | C.R. Board | Democrat | Boise City | 21st | 1947 | 1949 |
| 24 | Walter Billingsley | Democrat | Wewoka | 22nd | 1949 | 1951 |
| 25 | James M. Bullard | Democrat | Duncan | 23rd | 1951 | 1953 |
| 26 | James C. Nance | Democrat | Purcell | 24th | 1953 | 1955 |
| 27 | B.E. “Bill” Harkey | Democrat | Oklahoma City | 25th | 1955 | 1959 |
| 26th | ||||||
| 28 | Clint G. Livingston | Democrat | Marietta | 27th | 1959 | 1961 |
| 29 | J.D. McCarty | Democrat | Oklahoma City | 28th | 1961 | 1967 |
| 29th | ||||||
| 30th | ||||||
| 30 | Rex Privett | Democrat | Maramec | 31st | 1967 | 1973 |
| 32nd | ||||||
| 33rd | ||||||
| 31 | William P. Willis | Democrat | Tahlequah | 34th | 1973 | 1979 |
| 35th | ||||||
| 36th | ||||||
| 32 | Daniel D. Draper | Democrat | Stillwater | 37th | 1979 | 1983 |
| 38th | ||||||
| 39th | ||||||
| 33 | Jim Barker | Democrat | Muskogee | 40th | 1983 | 1989 |
| 41st | ||||||
| 42nd | ||||||
| 43rd | ||||||
| 34 | Steve Lewis | Democrat | Shawnee | 43rd | 1989 | 1991 |
| 35 | Glen D. Johnson, Jr. Glen D. Johnson, Jr. Glen D. Johnson Jr. is the 8th and current Chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, a state system comprising 25 state colleges and universities, 10 constituent agencies, one higher education center and independent colleges and universities coordinated with the state... |
Democrat | Okemah | 44th | 1991 | 1997 |
| 44rd | ||||||
| 45th | ||||||
| 36 | Lloyd L. Benson | Democrat | Fredrick | 46th | 1997 | 2001 |
| 47th | ||||||
| 37 | Larry Adair | Democrat | Stillwell | 48th | 2001 | 2005 |
| 49th | ||||||
| 38 | Todd Hiett Todd Hiett Todd Hiett is an American rancher and Republican politician from Kellyville. He served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1995 until 2007. During his final two years in office, Hiett served as the Speaker of the House... |
Republican | Kellyville | 50th | 2005 | 2007 |
| 39 | Lance Cargill Lance Cargill Lance Cargill is an American lawyer and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Cargill served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House from January 2, 2007 to January 28, 2008... |
Republican | Oklahoma City | 51st | 2007 | 2008 |
| 40 | Chris Benge Chris Benge Chris Benge is a United States Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Benge served as the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the Speaker of the House, a position he took over after Lance Cargill resigned in January 2008.Benge was first elected to the House of Representatives in... |
Republican | Tulsa | 51st | 2008 | 2011 |
| 52nd | ||||||
| 41 | Kris Steele Kris Steele Kris Steele is a United States politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Steele currently serves in the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the Speaker of the House, a position he took over after the 2010 elections.... |
Republican | Shawnee | 53rd | 2011 | Present |
See also
- Oklahoma House of RepresentativesOklahoma House of RepresentativesThe Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the...
- Oklahoma SenateOklahoma SenateThe Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution....
- Oklahoma LegislatureOklahoma LegislatureThe Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the biennial meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma. It is bicameral, comprising the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate, with all members elected directly by the people. The House of Representatives has 101...
- Lieutenant Governor of OklahomaLieutenant Governor of OklahomaThe Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the Lieutenant Governor becomes the new Governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resignation, or removal of the Governor...