Now that we have a little distance from the legislative session, Shawn Ashley from QuorumCall rejoins the show to discuss what happened in the second half of session, the unique forces at play in Republican primary elections, and how the landscape of Oklahoma politics may shift over the next few years.

With the legislative session behind us and the primary election looming ahead, Andy and Emily discuss the "horse race" of it all and wonder if the current crop of television ads are actually persuading any voters.

The interview table gets turned this week as Erika Wright, founder of the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition, interviews Andy about why voting in the primary election matters so much.

Andy & Emily discuss the fallout of SCOTUS' Callais decision as Republican-controlled state legislatures rush to gerrymander their Congressional maps ahead of (or in some cases during) the primary election. Also joining the show is Shanisty Whittington, senior political science major at Rose State College, to discuss her research on prison gerrymandering.

Andy and Emily discuss the Callais decision announced today by SCOTUS and it's potential impact on gerrymandering and voting rights more broadly. Plus some reflection on CIVICS CON and questioning exactly why the Oklahoma legislature is referring so man state questions to the ballot in August.

This episode is the keynote address delivered by former Congressman and founder of Groundwork Project, Joe Kennedy III, at CIVICS CON 2026. Joe speaks about Oklahoma, about democracy, and about a shared vision for the future.

Oklahoma lawmakers are sending some of the biggest ballot questions in state history to an August election most voters won't know is happening. Andy breaks down the joint resolutions targeting Medicaid, TSET, and the state Constitution — and why the date is the point. Then: candidate filing just closed, and the numbers reveal a democracy where 68% of races are already decided before November. Two stories, one system.

Oklahoma Watch story referenced: https://oklahomawatch.org/2026/04/03/choose-your-own-voters-republican-lawmakers-send-high-stakes-ballot-initiatives-to-low-turnout-election/

NonDoc has several stories on candidate filing: https://nondoc.com/category/civics/politics/

Andy & Emily discuss how late-night lawmaking and budget maneuvers reduce transparency, then unpack a pressing—and persistent—Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services funding gap that prompted agency heads to hold a “premature” press conference about consolidating ODMHSAS into the Department of Health, despite concerns that consolidation won’t solve a roughly $20–30 million shortfall. They also talk property tax sticker shock, strategic party registration for the gubernatorial primary, and promote CIVICS CON (April 9–10 at Rose State College).