A state question on the June ballot could potentially raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029. It’s currently $7.25.
The Flyer broke down the ballot language and talked to experts about its potential impact for Oklahomans. For more information on the June 16 election — including key information on voter registration and what you can expect at the polls — check out our voter guide.
What does State Question 832 say?
If passed, the minimum wage would increase gradually over the next few years. Once it reaches $15 an hour, all new increases will be based on the cost of living, as determined by as by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.
The wage increases would be on this schedule:
- $12 in 2027
- $13.50 in 2028
- $15 in 2029
There are also changes to who is exempt from minimum wage, which allows employers to pay less than $7.25 an hour. Now, part-time employees, certain students and individuals under age 18, farm and agricultural workers, domestic service workers, newspaper vendors or carriers, and feedstore employees can be paid less than minimum wage.
If the state question is approved, these positions would no longer be exempt.
All of these amendments would start Jan. 1, 2027. They do not apply to previous years, which means you would not get paid a higher minimum wage for work you completed in the past.
Your others questions, answered
- How many people would get a pay bump because of SQ832?
- Around 350,000 people, says Arindrajit Dube, a professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Only about 2% of Oklahoma’s workforce made minimum wage in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Still, there are thousands of others who make less than $15, which would become the new standard in 2029.
- What other states still have a $7.25 minimum wage?
- Twenty states, including Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Kentucky, have a $7.25 minimum wage. Some, like Arkansas and Michigan, pay more than $7.25, but less than $15. Others, like California and New York, pay $15 or more. Over the past decade, Arizona, Nebraska and Florida enacted minimum wage increases similar to what is proposed in SQ832.
- When did Oklahoma’s minimum wage last increase? What was $7.25 worth then?
- 2009. That’s when the federal minimum wage got higher, so Oklahoma had to raise its own from $6.55 to $7.25. But those dollars don’t go as far as they used to. Back then, the minimum wage would’ve been closer to $11 an hour in today’s money, according to the Consumer Price Index inflation calculator.
- What kinds of businesses typically pay $7.25 an hour?
- Most of these businesses are either in the retail or restaurant industries. Of the 350,000 Oklahomans making less than $15 an hour, half of them work in either retail or restaurants. Dube says these workers largely don’t have college degrees and are disproportionately women.
- Does this mean businesses will charge me more?
- Some businesses will charge more, but changes are likely to be marginal for both corporate and small businesses, says Dube. One reason why is because an increase in wages often results in stronger workforce retention, which offsets labor costs.
- Will this change my benefits or retirement plans in any way?
- There could be fewer people using public welfare programs like food stamps, but Dube says the data doesn’t show an impact on Medicaid — known as SoonerCare in Oklahoma. Employers may change their benefit plans if the cost of higher wages is too high for them. However, you’d also have more money for retirement and other necessities.
- When and where do I go to vote?
- Registered voters will decide on the minimum wage increase alongside Republican and Democratic primary elections June 16. Check where to vote on the Oklahoma voter portal. Here’s a link to what you’ll see on the ballot, with more information on the races on our voter guide.
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