Oklahoma superintendent of instruction election results 2026: Franklin wins, AP says

Republican Robert Franklin won the race for Oklahoma's next Superintendent of Public Instruction on Nov. 3, defeating Democrat Jennettie Marshall.

The Associated Press called the race at 8:31 p.m., KJRH reported.

With 59% of votes counted as of 8:40 p.m., Franklin held 68.2% of the vote, according to unofficial results reported by the OU Daily.

Unofficial results (59% reporting, 8:40 p.m. Nov. 3)

Source: Associated Press via OU Daily. Results are unofficial and incomplete.

Franklin will replace interim Superintendent Lindel Fields, whom Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed after Ryan Walters resigned in 2025, according to News 9.

Both candidates have deep ties to the Tulsa area. Both said they wanted politics out of the classroom.

The candidates

Franklin has worked in Oklahoma education for more than 40 years, according to Fox 23. His career includes stints as a special education teacher, high school principal in Sand Springs and associate superintendent at Tulsa Tech. He now teaches future school leaders as a part-time lecturer at OU-Tulsa, according to KFOR. He is an inductee in the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame, OKC Fox reported.

Franklin said rebuilding the teacher workforce is his top priority, NonDoc reported during the GOP primary season. He also called for a back-to-basics approach focused on reading and math, expanding career tech and adding behavioral support staff in schools, according to KOCO.

Marshall is a former Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education member and pastor. She was elected to represent Tulsa Public Schools District 3 in 2017, Fox 23 reported. In 2018, she helped establish the North Tulsa Community Education Task Force.

Marshall outlined a six-pillar platform she calls "The Marshall Plan," built around data-driven decision-making, quality learning standards and collaborative relationships, News 9 reported.

What's at stake

Oklahoma's low education ranking looms over the race. National Assessment of Educational Progress data from 2024 showed 23% of Oklahoma fourth graders were proficient in reading, while 20% of eighth graders were proficient, News 9 reported. The National Education Association pegged Oklahoma's average starting teacher salary at about $41,294 a year, below neighboring states including Texas at about $49,465 and Arkansas at about $50,076.

Fields' tenure will end in January, according to The Frontier. Unofficial returns are available on the State Election Board's 2026 results page.