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No-No-Yes-Yes and Yes-Yes-No-No signs across from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church where voters from precinct 353 and 354 vote in Edmond, Tuesday, November 7, 2006. Photo by David McDaniel, The Oklahoman

For the first time since at least 1976, no statewide public offices are at stake in the November general election. In presidential election years, contests for statewide offices are usually in short supply. But zero? That’s unusual. Of course we’re not including the presidential race itself in this accounting because it’s not unique to Oklahoma. It will certainly generate enormous attention here and elsewhere. All five congressional seats are contested and a plethora of county races will be on the November ballot. Outside of the presidential race, though, the most interesting contests could be those that come down not to a choice of candidates but a choice between yes and no. As of this writing, a half dozen state questions will be on the ballot; more will surely be added. Even so, the selection may not offer the drama of the 2010 referenda, which included Sharia law, voter ID and, yes, term limits for those statewide offices.

Photo by David McDaniel, The Oklahoman Archives