If Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) is confirmed as President Donald Trump’s next head of homeland security, Oklahoma law would trigger a special election that will likely occur during the 2026 midterm elections to fill the remainder of his Senate term.
Mullin, a Republican who was elected to the Senate in 2022 after serving in the House, is midway through a term that runs until January 2029.
When he resigns to join the Cabinet and is confirmed, the vacancy would be handled under Oklahoma’s procedures for filling U.S. Senate seats.
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In the meantime, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) will appoint an interim senator to temporarily hold the seat until voters elect a replacement in a special election. The election would coincide with Oklahoma’s midterm election if the vacancy occurs in time to meet the state’s filing deadlines.
The candidate filing period for Oklahoma’s 2026 elections runs April 1 through April 3, with primary elections scheduled for June and the general election on Nov. 3.
If Mullin resigns before those deadlines, which could depend on how long his Senate confirmation process takes, the race would likely appear on the 2026 midterm ballot. The winner would serve out the remainder of Mullin’s term, which is up for election in 2028, before the seat comes up again for a full six-year term.
Should Mullin be confirmed by Congress after the Oklahoma filing deadline, Oklahoma law allows the governor to call a separate special election and set the timeline for candidate filing and voting.
Stitt’s interim appointment would hold the seat only until voters select a replacement, and they are required to register with the same party as the senator who left the vacancy for at least five years.
Additionally, whoever Stitt taps for the interim position is required to submit an oath to the secretary of state pledging not to file as a candidate for the office when it next appears on the ballot.
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Stitt confirmed that he would be appointing a “small government conservative” to serve as interim senator to “support President Trump.”
A GOP member of the House could be tapped by Stitt, but it is unlikely, as it would leave a GOP House seat empty while Republicans hold a narrow and at-risk majority.
