Businessman Kevin Stitt (R) defeated former state Attorney General Drew Edmondson (D) and Chris Powell in the general election on November 6, 2018, for governor of Oklahoma.

Incumbent Mary Fallin (R) was term-limited, leaving the seat open. Republican candidates have won five of the past ten gubernatorial elections in Oklahoma, while no Democratic presidential nominee has carried the state since Lyndon B. Johnson (D) in 1964. As of November 2018, two election forecasting outlets rated this race Leans Republican and a third rated it a Toss-up. In an overview of gubernatorial races following the conclusion of primaries, Governing indicated that it had shifted its prediction from Likely Republican to Lean Republican owing to the results of the primary: "Stitt is a relative unknown and is polling about even with Edmondson, who is a more familiar name."

Stitt's victory preserved the state's Republican trifecta. At the time of the election, Oklahoma had been a Republican trifecta since 2011, when Gov. Mary Fallin (R) took office. The winner of this election stood to influence the state's redistricting process following the 2020 census. Under Oklahoma state law, the state legislature is responsible for drawing both congressional and state legislative district boundaries, which the governor may veto. In the event that the legislature cannot approve a plan for state legislative district boundaries, the governor is responsible for appointing two members—one Democrat and one Republican—to the seven-member backup panel which draws state legislative districts.

Oklahoma was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election.

Polls

Governor of Oklahoma, 2018

Governor of Oklahoma, 2018

Race ratings

The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato's Crystal Ball. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage. Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2018

Election history

2014

Governor of Oklahoma, 2014

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mary Fallin Incumbent	55.8%	460,298
	Democratic	Joe Dorman	41%	338,239
	Independent	Kimberly Willis	2.1%	17,169
	Independent	Richard Prawdzienski	1.1%	9,125
Total Votes			824,831
Election results via Oklahoma State Election Board

2010

On November 2, 2010, Mary Fallin won election to the office of Governor of Oklahoma. She defeated Jari Askins in the general election.

Governor of Oklahoma, 2010

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mary Fallin	60.4%	625,506
	Democratic	Jari Askins	39.6%	409,261
Total Votes			1,034,767
Election results via Oklahoma State Election Board.

2006

On November 7, 2006, Brad Henry won re-election to the office of Governor of Oklahoma. He defeated Ernest Istook in the general election.

Governor of Oklahoma, 2006

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Brad Henry Incumbent	66.5%	616,135
	Republican	Ernest Istook	33.5%	310,327
Total Votes			926,462
Election results via Oklahoma State Election Board.

2002

On November 5, 2002, Brad Henry won election to the office of Governor of Oklahoma. He defeated Steve Largent and Gary Richardson in the general election.

Governor of Oklahoma, 2002

Party	Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Brad Henry	43.3%	448,143
	Republican	Steve Largent	42.6%	441,277
	Independent	Gary Richardson	14.1%	146,200
Total Votes			1,035,620
Election results via Oklahoma State Board of Elections.

Demographics

Demographic data for Oklahoma

As of July 2016, Oklahoma' three largest cities were Oklahoma City (pop. est. 643,648), Tulsa (pop. est. 401,800), and Norman (pop. est. 122,843).